Government agencies are gearing up for a stink bug invasion - but it's only an exercise.
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is running Exercise Rāwaho tommorrow to practice responding to an invasion of brown marmorated stink bug.
The stink bug is an invasive pest that has become a significant agricultural and nuisance pest in the USA.
A female Brown Marmorated stink bug. Photo: Supplied
Interceptions of the pest at New Zealand's borders have been increasing each summer.
MPI has identified the bug as a high priority pest to keep out of New Zealand, because it attacks a wide range of crops and disfigures fruit, making fresh produce unmarketable in many cases.
The exercise involves multiple agencies and industry groups working together to determine options to deal with the potentially harmful pest.