Project overview
Japanese honeysuckle is native to eastern Asia. It was introduced to New Zealand as a garden ornamental. It is widespread across the North Island and in the northern South Island.
Two biological control agents, a butterfly and a stem beetle, have been approved for release against Japanese honeysuckle in 2013 and in 2015, respectively. The Honshu white admiral butterfly (Limenitis glorifica) larvae consume the foliage and the honeysuckle stem beetle (Oberea shirahatai) larvae bore into the stems. Both agents are expected to complement each other. The butterfly has been established on the Coromandel Peninsula and the northern Bay of Plenty and efforts will now focus on establishing it more widely. Other potential agents for this target are also being considered.
