Ngaro Huruhuru – Native Bee (Leioproctus fulvescens) is the FIRST to be crowned New Zealand Bug of the Year 2023!!!
Aotearoa is home to over 20,000 species of insects and spiders – and there are still more that need to be discovered! The Entomological Society of New Zealand wants to make sure YOU have the tools to discover the insects and spiders that are living all around you!
We have 24 nominees vying for NZ Bug of the Year. Learn more about the nominees by clicking on the image below or going to the iNaturalist.nz Project Page to find more info and images of each of the nominees. Then, follow (or initiate) campaigns for your favourites on social media (use #BugOfTheYear2023 and tag us @NZEntoSoc).
Voting opens 14 Nov 2022. Winner announced 14 Feb 2023.
All images from iNaturalist.nz with author attribution on the organism page.
Click HERE to purchase a poster showing off all of this year’s nominees!
check out the 2023 Nominees
Click on an insect to learn more!
Weeleus acutus
Leioproctus fulvescens
Amphipsalta zelandica
Uropetala carovei
Orthodera novaezealandiae
Helophilus seelandicus
Lasiorhynchus barbicornis
Sigaus homerensis
Priocnemis monachus
Porrhothele antipodiana
Hadramphus tuberculatus
Coccinella leonina
Geodorcus helmsi
Austrosimulium australense
Declana atronivea
Aenetus virescens
Brachaspis robustus
Acanthoxyla prasina
Prionoplus reticularis
Amblyopone australis
Glaucias amyoti
Deinacrida heteracantha
Xanthocryptus novozealandicus
Vanessa itea
did you find a new bug? inaturalist.nz can help you identify it!
Try out some colouring pages and activities!
