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Common name : Stick insect Scientific name : Clitarchus hookeri Family : Phasmatidae Native to : New Zealand Interesting fact : Amongst the various stick insects, this specific species is the most commonly found species in New Zealand. Ranging from 80-106 mm, the females in this species are larger than the males. They are usually […]

Common name : Crab spider Scientific name : Sidymella sp. Family : Thomisidae Native to : New Zealand, Australia and South America Interesting fact : These spiders resemble small crabs; hence, the name ‘crab spider’. With a total body length of 4-12 mm, this small spider has a squarish backside. Due to their colouring they are well

Common name : Green-clouded butterfly Scientific name : Papilio Troilus Family : Papilionidae Native to : North America Interesting fact : Unlike other butterflies, the spicebush swallowtail continues to flutter its wings even when it is feeding. A large butterfly, the wingspan of the spicebush swallowtail ranges from 3-4 inches. The butterfly is brownish colour with

Common name : Slender burnished brass Scientific name : Thysanoplusia orichalcea Family : Noctuidae Native to : Indonesia Interesting fact : Due to the shimmering metallic colour on its forewings, this insect is popularly known as the slender burnished brass. With a wingspan of 36-44 mm, the soybean looper may be popularly known such, but is

Common name : South giant darner Scientific name : Austrophlebia costalis Family : Aeshnidae Native to : Australia Interesting fact : With a speed of 97 km per hour, this species of dragonflies, is considered to be one of the fastest flying species in the world. The South Giant Darner is a large species of

Common name : South African praying mantis Scientific name : Miomantis caffra Family : Mantidae Native to : South Africa Interesting fact : This species is also known to be extremely aggressive with the male being eaten after it has mated. The South African praying mantis is about 32-60 mm in length. Their diet consists of

Common name : Small tortoiseshell Scientific name : Aglais urticae Family : Nymphalidae Native to : Europe and Asia Interesting fact : Droughts have an adverse effect on this butterfly, especially since droughts affect the leaves of the Nettle plants (the host plant for the larvae). 4-6 cm in wingspan, the small tortoiseshell butterfly has

Common name : Slater Scientific name : Porcellio scaber Family : Porcellionidae Native to : Europe Interesting fact : Grey in colour, the rough woodlouse is commonly known as ‘slater’. 17 mm in length, the slater is usually found in dark, damp places under debris, stones and barks of trees. Its diet is comprised of decaying

Common name : Fishmoth Scientific name : Lepisma saccharina Family : Lepismatidae            Native to : Worldwide distribution Interesting fact : Wingless, and silvery grey in colour, this bug is known as a silverfish because of its fish-like movements. 13-25 mm in length, the silverfish have tapering abdomens that give them a fish-like appearance. Its diet is

Common name : Sigmoid fungus beetle Scientific name : Cryptophagus varus Family : Cryptophagidae Native to : Worldwide distribution Interesting fact : Hardly 2-3 mm in length, this beetle is extremely small with a thorax that is sculptured with teeth. Small and reddish-brown in colour, the sigmoid fungus beetle infests cereal, grains, bran, rice, oats, dried

Common name : Safari ant Scientific name : Dorylus Family : Formicidae Native to : Central & East Africa Interesting fact : Taken from one of the regional Bantu languages, the term ‘Saifu’ is a word from Swahili, and is used for describing the different species of this ant. An extremely large genus of army

Common name : Scarab Scientific name : Scarabaeidae Family : Scarabaeidae Native to : Worldwide distribution Interesting fact : Charles Darwin has described this species of beetle as ‘the sacred beetles of the Egyptians’. With body length ranging from 1.5 mm to 160 mm, the scarab beetle has a stout body and is usually of

Common name : Sapho longwing butterfly Scientific name : Heliconius sapho Family : Nymphalidae Native to : Mexico, Ecuador Interesting fact : While the origins of the name of this butterfly is not certain, many believe it to have been named after the mythological Queen Sapho, as it was named so by Dru Drury in