Common name : Blackfly Scientific name : Austrosimulium sp. Family : Simuliidae Native to : New Zealand & Australia Interesting fact : There are 31 species of black flies distributed in Australia and New Zealand. With a body length of 3.6-4.8 mm, the blackfly is a small, biting, and bloodsucking fly. Its bite creates rashes […]
Common name : Red harvester ant Scientific name : Pogonomyrmex barbatus Family : Formicidae Native to : South-West United States Interesting fact : The red harvester ants are known for their foraging behaviour. The ant workers are divided into 3 groups–nest patrollers, trail patrollers and foragers. 5-7 mm in length, these ants are very often mistaken
Common name : Green rose chafer Scientific name : Cetonia aurata Family : Scarabaeidae Native to : Southern & Central Europe Interesting fact : This insect is known as the rose chafer because of its diet, which amongst other things includes prominently and predominantly, the rose plant. 20 mm in length, the rose chafer has a
Common name : The richmond birdwing Scientific name : Ornithoptera richmondia Family : Papilionnidae Native to : Australia Interesting fact : The Richmond birdwing is the second smallest species of birdwing butterfly. An extremely strong flyer, the richmond birdwing flies high in the rainforest canopy. The males are known to chase after the females during courtship, which
Common name : Mexican red rump Scientific name : Brachypelma vagans Family : Theraphosidae Native to : Mexico Interesting fact : Due to the prominent red hair on its abdomen this spider has been named the ‘red rump tarantula’. This tarantula can grow up to 5 inches in legspan. The male is smaller and thinner
Common name : Red admiral Scientific name : Vanessa atalanta Family : Nymphalidae Native to : Asia, temperate Europe & North America Interesting fact : The males in this species are territorial and can be found in the same area day after day. 45-50 mm of wingspan, the red admiral is a beautiful colourful butterfly.
Common name : Hoverfly, Rat-tailed maggot (larva), Dronefly (adult) Scientific name : Eristalis tenax Family : Syrphidae Native to : Europe Interesting fact : The larvae of the hoverfly or dronefly, are known as rat-tailed maggots because of their affinity for sewers, drainage ditches, manure piles, etc. The hoverfly has a 15 mm wingspan,
Common name : Rajah brooke’s birdwing butterfly Scientific name : Trogonoptera brookiana Family : Papilionidae Native to : Australasia, Indo-Malaya ecozone Interesting fact : Black and electric green in colour, the pattern on its wings is extremely unique to this butterfly alone. With a wingspan of 15-17 cm, this butterfly is a protected species.
Common name : Rainbow shield bug Scientific name : Calidea dregii Family : Scutelleridae Native to : Worldwide distribution Interesting fact : The colouring of the rainbow shield bug varies depending on the way in which the light falls on its body and is reflected. 14 mm in length, this bug has a beautiful iridescent
Common name : Question mark butterfly Scientific name : Polygonia interrogationis Family : Nymphalidae Native to : North America Interesting fact : Due to a unique pattern on the underside of its hind wings, which resemble a ‘?’ this butterfly is popularly known as the ‘Question mark butterfly’. With a wingspan of 4.5-7.5 cm, the question
Common name : Puriri moth Scientific name : Aenetus virescens Family : Hepialidae Native to : North Island, New Zealand Interesting fact : The largest moth found in New Zealand, the puriri moth has a wingspan of 150 mm. As mentioned, the puriri moth has a wingspan of 150 mm, and is green with brown
Common name : Jumping plant louse Scientific name : Psyllidae Family : Psyllidae Native to : Worldwide distribution Interesting fact : As a part of the sternorrhyncha group, the psyllids are considered to be one of the most primitive groups of true bugs. Only 2-3 mm in length, psyllids are plant-eating insects that are terrestrial
Common name : False scorpion Scientific name: Pseudoscorpionida Family : Pseudoscorpionida Native to : Worldwide distribution Interesting fact : The oldest fossil of the pseudoscorpion is said to date back to the Devonian era, 380 million years ago. About 2-8 mm in length, the pseudoscorpians are tiny and inoffensive to humans. Their diet is comprised
Common name : Plume moth Scientific name: Pterophoridae Family : Pterophoridae Native to : Oceans worldwide Interesting fact : This insect is named such because of its wings, which have the appearance of a bird’s ‘plume’. With a wingspan of 6-50 mm, unlike other moths and butterflies, the plume moths are tiny and have ‘T’
Common name : Velvet worm Scientific name: Peripatoides indigo Family : Peripatopsidae Native to : New Zealand Interesting fact : Known as a ‘living fossil’ because it has changed considerably over 500 million years, the peripatus is said to be the link between annelids and arthropods. About 60 mm in length, the natural habitat of