Biosecurity New Zealand is ramping up a public awareness campaign to encourage people to report possible sightings of brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) – a major threat to Aotearoa New Zealand’s horticulture industry.
Funded jointly by Biosecurity NZ and BMSB Council industry members – including Summerfruit NZ, the summer campaign will run from November 2022 to March 2023, targeting local gardeners and online shoppers who receive goods from overseas.
The recent detection of two live BMSB at Auckland Airport demonstrates the importance of strong biosecurity controls. Officers have also detected a further 286 dead BMSB on arriving vessels and cargo.
Anyone who thinks they've found BMSB is asked to ‘catch it, snap it, and report it’.
The find can be reported online or via Biosecurity New Zealand’s hotline – 0800 80 99 66. You can also use the Find-A-Pest app to report a find.