Insects and Minibeasts

Use these resources to identify invertebrates, study their characteristics and life cycles. This topic covers New Zealand’s many insects — including weta and also the biosecurity required to protect our country from insect pests. SCIS no. 1808303

All items

Images
Admiral butterflies
Admiral butterflies
A painting of a New Zealand red and yellow Admiral butterfly.
Images
Stick insect
Stick insect
A painting of a New Zealand stick insect.
Images
Painting of New Zealand insects
Painting of New Zealand insects
A painting of a New Zealand cicada, two crickets and a moth.
Stories
Insects-New Zealand
Insects-New Zealand
Video and images of insects in New Zealand
Articles
Butterflies and moths
Contains information about the lifecycle of butterflies and moths.
Articles
Insects in the bush
The bush is home to many of New Zealand’s insects. They can be found tunnelling in wood, feeding on leaves, flowers or seeds, or in the fungi, litter or soil below. Pūriri moth The green pūriri mot...
Articles
Forestry insect pests
Information about insect pests found in the forest.
Audio
Wasps wreak havoc on flora and fauna
Scientists are warning that wasps are wreaking havoc on native forests, birds and insects and more control measures and funding are needed to combat the pest.
Articles
The Crafty spider
Newspaper article from 1889 about the ‘crafty’ spider.
Images
Katipō spider stamp
Katipō spider stamp
Katipō spider, the only New Zealand spider to feature on a postage stamp.
Images
Giant weta
Giant weta
Image of a giant weta.
Images
Tāne battles the insects
Tāne battles the insects
In this artwork, Tāne is attacked by insects as he retrieves the three baskets of knowledge.
Articles
Weta
Article about the weta.
Images
Black crawlers
Black crawlers
Richard Killeen's cut-out paintings are scatterings of images, in this case insects.
Audio
Giraffe weevils
Giraffe weevils
University of Auckland biologists hope their research will raise the profile of these unusual beetles
Images
Native snail shells
Native snail shells
A selection of shells from Saxon Hut that were presumably collected from the immediate surrounds
Articles
New Zealand’s glow-worms
Article about glow-worms.
Images
Apiary at Turua
Apiary at Turua
Honey bees are not only great pollinators, they make delicious honey too! In this image we see a bee-keeper taking frames of honey from a modern hive. These modern beehives are made of special wood...
Images
Cave weta
Cave weta
Cave weta are the ‘daddy-long-legs’ of weta. Their small bodies, extra-long legs and antennae make them excellent jumpers. Although they walk slowly and daintily, they are always ready to surprise ...
Images
More Argentine ants arrive
More Argentine ants arrive
Argentine ants are native to Northern Argentina. Although the ants are only 3 cm long, they create large colonies which can contain up to one billion ants. They have been known to kill off other an...
Images
Vanishing monarch butterflies
Vanishing monarch butterflies
Monarch butterflies are not just beautiful creatures, they are also very important to humans and the environment. Monarch butterflies are bioindicators, excellent pollinators and a wonderful food s...
Images
Fruit fly
Fruit fly
Under the heading 'A bug in the system' a customs officer tells a Queensland fruit-fly "Welcome to New Zealand, sir! We don't x-ray all bags so we rely on travellers to declare any bio-security ris...
Websites
WWW
Guide to New Zealand soil invertebrates
Everything you need to know about New Zealand soil invertebrates.
Articles
Minibeasts
Provides definitions of insects and minibeasts, plus a game to build your own super bug.
Articles
What is this bug?
Identify bugs and insects in your garden.
Articles
Beetles
It could be said that in terms of numbers of species, insects rule the world. If this were the case, beetles would rule the insects.
Images
Native New Zealand bush
Native New Zealand bush
Although insects and minibeast are small creatures, they are vital components of bush ecosystem. Whether they are pollinators (e.g. bees and butterflies), herbivores (e.g. stick insects), predators...
Videos
Killer bees
Video about Killer Bees and the drastic effects they have on the rainforest.
Videos
How to make an insect hotel
Learn how to make an insect hotel using this step by step video guide.
Articles
Will we all be eating insects in 50 years?
Each year, around 70 million people are added to the world’s population.
Websites
WWW
Minibeast resources
This website contains useful information and resources related to minibeasts.
Videos
Icky insects
Song about the characteristics of insects.
Articles
Katipo spider
The adult female of Katipo is a small spider with a pea-sized abdomen.
Images
Māori man eating a huhu grub
In this image we see a Māori man eating a huhu grub, a delicacy in the traditional Maori diet. The huhu beetle grub (Prionoplus reticularis) is found in damp, rotten logs. The beetle can grow up to...
Articles
The Department of Conservation
This website includes information on mini beasts and guidelines for creating a weta motel.
Websites
WWW
Minibeasts
Website containing a range of activities related to minibeasts.
Articles
Spider bites
Most spiders in New Zealand are harmless, but the katipo, redback and white-tailed spiders can be harmful.
Videos
Beetles for kids
Video about beetles and their physical characteristics.
Articles
Creepy-crawlies (New Zealand)
Creepy-crawlies (New Zealand)
Many Answers has reviewed links to websites and databases about New Zealand insects.
Articles
Insects and forest ecosystems
Our native forests – ngahere – have complex ecosystems. Within the wider ecosystems are smaller ecosystems, such as the one formed around honeydew.
Articles
Landcare Research’s insect collection
The buildings of Landcare Research (Manaaki Whenua) in Tāmaki, Auckland, house an enormous range of preserved and live specimens of insects and other invertebrates.
Videos
Insects
The nature documentary looks at the most successful animal group, with 200 million insects for each human.
Articles
Minibeasts and creepy crawlies - who bugs who the most?
Bugs, insects, worms and other invertebrates (often referred to as minibeasts and creepy crawlies) may not always be our favourite creatures but they are vital to life on Earth.
Websites
WWW
Monarch Butterfly New Zealand Trust
Want to know more about the moths and butterflies of New Zealand Trust? You’ll find it here.
Websites
WWW
What is this bug?
This website helps you to identify bugs.
Videos
Cicada life cycle
Sir David Attenborough talks about the amazing life cycle of the humble cicada.
Websites
WWW
EPIC
Find more information about insects and minibeasts on EPIC. Databases recommended: Britannica School, National Geographic Kids, Elementary (Gale on Context). School login maybe required.
Articles
Biosecurity in New Zealand
One of the main jobs of the Ministry for Primary Industries is to stop pests and diseases from entering New Zealand and get rid of the ones already here.
Images
Admiral butterflies
Admiral butterflies
A painting of a New Zealand red and yellow Admiral butterfly.
Images
Stick insect
Stick insect
A painting of a New Zealand stick insect.
Images
Painting of New Zealand insects
Painting of New Zealand insects
A painting of a New Zealand cicada, two crickets and a moth.
Stories
Insects-New Zealand
Insects-New Zealand
Video and images of insects in New Zealand
Articles
Butterflies and moths
Contains information about the lifecycle of butterflies and moths.
Articles
Insects in the bush
The bush is home to many of New Zealand’s insects. They can be found tunnelling in wood, feeding on leaves, flowers or seeds, or in the fungi, litter or soil below. Pūriri moth The green pūriri mot...
Articles
Forestry insect pests
Information about insect pests found in the forest.
Audio
Wasps wreak havoc on flora and fauna
Scientists are warning that wasps are wreaking havoc on native forests, birds and insects and more control measures and funding are needed to combat the pest.
Articles
The Crafty spider
Newspaper article from 1889 about the ‘crafty’ spider.
Images
Katipō spider stamp
Katipō spider stamp
Katipō spider, the only New Zealand spider to feature on a postage stamp.
Images
Giant weta
Giant weta
Image of a giant weta.
Images
Tāne battles the insects
Tāne battles the insects
In this artwork, Tāne is attacked by insects as he retrieves the three baskets of knowledge.
Articles
Weta
Article about the weta.
Images
Black crawlers
Black crawlers
Richard Killeen's cut-out paintings are scatterings of images, in this case insects.
Audio
Giraffe weevils
Giraffe weevils
University of Auckland biologists hope their research will raise the profile of these unusual beetles
Images
Native snail shells
Native snail shells
A selection of shells from Saxon Hut that were presumably collected from the immediate surrounds
Articles
New Zealand’s glow-worms
Article about glow-worms.
Images
Apiary at Turua
Apiary at Turua
Honey bees are not only great pollinators, they make delicious honey too! In this image we see a bee-keeper taking frames of honey from a modern hive. These modern beehives are made of special wood...
Images
Cave weta
Cave weta
Cave weta are the ‘daddy-long-legs’ of weta. Their small bodies, extra-long legs and antennae make them excellent jumpers. Although they walk slowly and daintily, they are always ready to surprise ...
Images
More Argentine ants arrive
More Argentine ants arrive
Argentine ants are native to Northern Argentina. Although the ants are only 3 cm long, they create large colonies which can contain up to one billion ants. They have been known to kill off other an...
Images
Vanishing monarch butterflies
Vanishing monarch butterflies
Monarch butterflies are not just beautiful creatures, they are also very important to humans and the environment. Monarch butterflies are bioindicators, excellent pollinators and a wonderful food s...
Images
Fruit fly
Fruit fly
Under the heading 'A bug in the system' a customs officer tells a Queensland fruit-fly "Welcome to New Zealand, sir! We don't x-ray all bags so we rely on travellers to declare any bio-security ris...
Websites
WWW
Guide to New Zealand soil invertebrates
Everything you need to know about New Zealand soil invertebrates.
Articles
Minibeasts
Provides definitions of insects and minibeasts, plus a game to build your own super bug.
Articles
What is this bug?
Identify bugs and insects in your garden.
Articles
Beetles
It could be said that in terms of numbers of species, insects rule the world. If this were the case, beetles would rule the insects.
Images
Native New Zealand bush
Native New Zealand bush
Although insects and minibeast are small creatures, they are vital components of bush ecosystem. Whether they are pollinators (e.g. bees and butterflies), herbivores (e.g. stick insects), predators...
Videos
Killer bees
Video about Killer Bees and the drastic effects they have on the rainforest.
Videos
How to make an insect hotel
Learn how to make an insect hotel using this step by step video guide.
Articles
Will we all be eating insects in 50 years?
Each year, around 70 million people are added to the world’s population.
Websites
WWW
Minibeast resources
This website contains useful information and resources related to minibeasts.
Videos
Icky insects
Song about the characteristics of insects.
Articles
Katipo spider
The adult female of Katipo is a small spider with a pea-sized abdomen.
Images
Māori man eating a huhu grub
In this image we see a Māori man eating a huhu grub, a delicacy in the traditional Maori diet. The huhu beetle grub (Prionoplus reticularis) is found in damp, rotten logs. The beetle can grow up to...
Articles
The Department of Conservation
This website includes information on mini beasts and guidelines for creating a weta motel.
Websites
WWW
Minibeasts
Website containing a range of activities related to minibeasts.
Articles
Spider bites
Most spiders in New Zealand are harmless, but the katipo, redback and white-tailed spiders can be harmful.
Videos
Beetles for kids
Video about beetles and their physical characteristics.
Articles
Creepy-crawlies (New Zealand)
Creepy-crawlies (New Zealand)
Many Answers has reviewed links to websites and databases about New Zealand insects.
Articles
Insects and forest ecosystems
Our native forests – ngahere – have complex ecosystems. Within the wider ecosystems are smaller ecosystems, such as the one formed around honeydew.
Articles
Landcare Research’s insect collection
The buildings of Landcare Research (Manaaki Whenua) in Tāmaki, Auckland, house an enormous range of preserved and live specimens of insects and other invertebrates.
Videos
Insects
The nature documentary looks at the most successful animal group, with 200 million insects for each human.
Articles
Minibeasts and creepy crawlies - who bugs who the most?
Bugs, insects, worms and other invertebrates (often referred to as minibeasts and creepy crawlies) may not always be our favourite creatures but they are vital to life on Earth.
Websites
WWW
Monarch Butterfly New Zealand Trust
Want to know more about the moths and butterflies of New Zealand Trust? You’ll find it here.
Websites
WWW
What is this bug?
This website helps you to identify bugs.
Videos
Cicada life cycle
Sir David Attenborough talks about the amazing life cycle of the humble cicada.
Websites
WWW
EPIC
Find more information about insects and minibeasts on EPIC. Databases recommended: Britannica School, National Geographic Kids, Elementary (Gale on Context). School login maybe required.
Articles
Biosecurity in New Zealand
One of the main jobs of the Ministry for Primary Industries is to stop pests and diseases from entering New Zealand and get rid of the ones already here.

Other resources

Top results for Insects and Minibeasts from AnyQuestions

Creepy-crawlies (New Zealand)
Creepy-crawlies (New Zealand)

Many Answers has reviewed links to websites and databases about New Zealand insects.

Senior Primary

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Top results for Insects and Minibeasts from DigitalNZ

stories
Insects-New Zealand
Insects-New Zealand

Video and images of insects in New Zealand

images
Insects, minibeasts and butterflies

A gallery of items related to insects and minibeasts.

articles
Minibeasts

Provides definitions of insects and minibeasts, plus a game to build your own super bug.

stories
Insects and Minibeasts
Insects and Minibeasts

Use these resources to identify invertebrates, study their characteristics and life cycles. This topic covers New...

See all 8 related entries on DigitalNZ

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