Well, unfortunately the hellraiser mite didn't win #BugOfTheYear, but I suppose the Avatar moth is pretty deserving too... www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f...
1
1
0
0
Hashtag
#bugoftheyear
Advertisement · 728 × 90
Last chance to vote for your #BugOfTheYear! Voting closes at midnight tonight. www.bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz
16
9
0
0
A photograph of a hard-bodied mite, covered in long, spiky bristles.
"We have such mites to show you"
Today is the last day to vote in the 2026 Bug of the Year contest!
Vote now for the Hellraiser Mite: bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/vote-here-20...
P.S. There is also a giant earthworm worthy of your love (you get 3 votes) 🪱
#BugOfTheYear #BugOfTheYear2026 🧪
86
18
2
1
Somewhat on topic, we are currently running #bugoftheyear in #NZ 😊
cc: @dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social
3
0
0
0
#NZ Just to keep things lively, relaying on Canterbury Museum’s vote for #bugoftheyear #bugoftheyear2026
🪲💪 “The Canterbury knobbled weevil is our pick for New Zealand Bug of the Year 2026 because it is a true survivor. It was presumed extinct for over 80 years and then rediscovered in 2004.”
1/2
2
0
1
0
Championing a very large worm for #bugoftheyear led a group of Te Pūnaha Matatini researchers on a journey of invertebrates, bioluminescence, te ao Māori, mātauranga Māori, and outreach and engagement → www.tepunahamatatini.ac.nz/posts/champi... #votelength 🧪
12
2
0
1
It’s more than a metre long and can expel glowing yellow ooze from its anus. Doesn’t that sound like Bug of the Year material to you? 🧪 #votelength #bugoftheyear
thespinoff.co.nz/science/09-0...
9
4
0
0
Not voted for #BugOfTheYear yet? Thanks to @thespinoff.bsky.social for letting me make the case for the North Auckland Worm. Vote now! thespinoff.co.nz/science/09-0...
25
14
1
0
Have you voted for the #HobbitPsyllid?
The #NewZealandEntoSociety is currently running the fourth edition of the #BugOfTheYear competition 🐛 🐝 🦋 🦟 🐞🧪 .
I have nominated this cool #psyllid, & here is a short 🧵explaining why!
Vote for #TeamHobbitPsyllid:
bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/vote-here-20...
3
3
1
0
O M G
#BugoftheYear
1
0
1
0
Cartoon drawing of a layer of grass with layers of soil/ground underneath and a very long pinky orange worm. Text reads: Did you know? The North Auckland worm (noke waiu) is known to burrow down to depths of 3.5 metres, while regular earthworms dig down around 1-2 metres. To learn more and vote go to bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz
If you really don't like the idea of an enormous worm, it lives metres underground - like more than 3 metres down! - which is why you'll probably never encounter one. #BugOfTheYear bugoftheyear.endo.org.nz
12
4
1
0
Cartoon of what looks like a pinky orange limb covered in little hairs. Text read: Did you know? The North Auckland worm is covered in thousands of tiny hairs! These hairs or chaetae help the worms move through the soil better. To learn more and vote go to bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz
Today's reason you should vote for the North Auckland worm for #BugOfTheYear is that, as well as being enormous, it's very hairy. Those hairs, called chaetae, help it move through the soil. bugoftheyear.endo.org.nz
21
8
3
2
And lookie lookie 😃
We have a Giraffe Weevil too!
@siouxsiew.bsky.social
@2covet.bsky.social
A thread 🧵
#BugOfTheYear
#SizeMatters
#kikorangi
4
2
0
0
A picture of a worm stretched out beside a green waste bin, with the text: Did you know? The longest recorded North Auckland Worm (Noke Waiū) was a huge 1.4 metres long. that is longer than your wheelie bin! To learn more and vote go to bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz
This year we're throwing our weight behind the North Auckland Worm (Noke Waiū) for Bug of the Year — on length alone.
A 1.4 metre worm? It's got our vote ✅
#bugoftheyear #electionyear 🧪
10
2
0
3
A felt pen drawing of a round mite covered with huge spines, text: Neotrichozetes spinulosa | Hellraiser mite | punk mite
A felt pen drawing of a spiny brown insect and a small sprig of gorse with yellow flowers and spines. Text: Deinacrida mahoenui | Mahoenui giant wētā | wētāpunga | saved by an invasive species
A felt pen drawing of a spider with large body, thick legs and large jaws, text: Porrhothele antipodiana | kahuwai | tunnelweb | faithful friend of forest restorers
A felt pen drawing of a tadpole shrimp with an oval body and segmented tail. Text: kouraura wai | tadpole shrimp | Lepidurus apus viridis | tough as a tardigrade
Another important election coming up! New Zealand's #BugoftheYear
So many great candidates it's hard to choose.
The forest restorer's faithful friend?
Tough as a tardigrade tadpole shrimp?
Saved by an invasive species giant wētā?
Punk mite?
#sciart
4
2
1
0
I've never seen this before - its rather lovely.
Purple creepy crawly - a missing link between worms and insects - takes out the New Zealand Bug of the Year competition.
#PurpleVelvetBackInVogue #BugOfTheYear #Conservation
www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/bug-of-th...
1
0
0
0
Is this an okay place to drop some peripatus fan art? I am their # 1☝️😍 and always believed they could do it
#bugoftheyear
25
5
0
2
#nzpol we have a winner! #bugoftheyear
8
3
0
0
Eddie made a feed for Bird/ Bug/ Fish/ Tree of the Year! You can find it below.
I thiiiink nominations are underway for Bug of the Week at the moment. #bugoftheyear, #birdoftheyear etc will be collected by the feed.
bsky.app/profile/fyod...
3
0
0
0
Vote Giant Springtail!
There are only a few days left to vote giant springtail in the New Zealand Bug of the Year competition- the only soil animal in the competition. Look at his little face! #bugoftheyear #springtail
bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/vote-here-20...
40
7
3
0
Don't forget to vote for the trapdoor spider in Bug of the Year 😊 #BugOfTheYear www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/3605...
16
2
1
0
Check out expert reactions here @smcnz.bsky.social! www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2025/02/12/b... #TeamTrapdoor #BugOfTheYear
12
4
1
1
Bat hitchiking, mealybug milking, and defensive bleeding – the creepiest crawlies and freakiest fliers of Aotearoa are duking it out in an annual popularity contest.
#BugOfTheYear
3
1
0
1
I have just voted for Bug of the Year! 🕷🕷🕷 #BugOfTheYear #NewZealand bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/vote-here-20...
11
5
2
0
It's on. Time to get your vote in for New Zealand Bug of the Year 2025.
#BugOfTheYear
bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz
3
0
0
0
Naturalist.nz image © Uwe Schneehagen of a Gherkin Slug. It's a leaf-veined slug that's green, looks like a gherkin!
The Gherkin Slug a.k.a. Putoko ropiropi in Te Reo Māori. I mean, just look at it! Also, it's a nominee for this year's New Zealand Bug of the Year. Come visit the site & vote!
#BugOfTheYear
bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/2025-bug-of-...
104
11
1
0
The competition is heating up for this years NZ #BugoftheYear competition.
@frankashwood is leading an excellent campaign for the charismatic if diminutive Giant Springtail. Some stylish free badges are celebrating this soon to be iconic NZ invertebrate.
And […]
[Original post on mastodon.nz]
2
2
1
0
Please vote for the Giant Springtail for the New Zealand #BugoftheYear! bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/vote-here-20... You don't need to be in or from New Zealand to vote!
7
1
0
0
A photograph of a pauropod - an orange segmented relative of millipedes, with strangely branching antennae.
A short break from #BugoftheYear content to bring you Pauropods!
These tiny relatives of millipedes possess unique branching antennae, and feed on fungi and organic matter. They’re found in leaf litter, soil, under stones and logs, but at <2 mm length you’ll struggle to spot them!
#Invertebrate 🧪
97
11
1
0