Building an army to stop a stink bug invasion

In the Auckland suburb of Mt Albert there's a particular brand of doomsday prepping going on. Our Changing World visits the Bioeconomy Science Institute to meet some scientists figuring out how to build an army of Samurai Wasps just in case Aotearoa is invaded by Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs.

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Learn more:

• MPI's website has more detail on the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug and what to do if you find one.
• From December 2025 a new biosecurity inflight video about being vigilant is being played to incoming visitors.
• Our Changing World did a deep dive into the impact BMSB would have on New Zealand, back in 2019.

Guests:

• Dr Gonzalo Avila, Senior Scientist - Biological Control, New Zealand Institute for Bioeconomy Science Limited
• Karina Santos, Senior Research Associate, New Zealand Institute for Bioeconomy Science Limited
• Dr Scott Sinclair, Manager, Operational Readiness - Plant & Environment, Biosecurity New Zealand

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details