Aotearoa is home to over 20,000 species of insects and spiders.

The Entomological Society of New Zealand ran a competition to find the best bug of 2023.

And the winner is

Ngaro Huruhuru – Native Bee (Leioproctus fulvescens)

#BugOfTheYear2023
#bugs

https://bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/

Have you voted in the New Zealand bug of the year poll yet? https://bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/
#BugOfTheYear2023

Another ngaro huruhuru (NZ native bee) seen in my garden 😊

I have a few patches of lawn that I’ve let grow really long, and these little yellow flowers* are a favourite of these tiny bees.

I also have planted wildflower pollinator blends, but I only ever see bumble bees and honey bees in those. In my garden these native bees seem to prefer a patch of lawn gone wild.

#NZBugOfTheYear #BugOfTheYear2023 #bugoftheyear

* similar but smaller than a dandelion flower, might be hawksbeard or catsear

@debe sorry #BugOfTheYear2023 my default is all bugs are to be squished 🤣🤣🤣

awww the #bugOfTheYear2023 winner will be announced on Valentines Day! https://bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/vote-here/

I think I’ve found another little Ngaru Huruhuru (native bee) in my garden. So cute!
#BugOfTheYear2023 #bugoftheyear

@astrokiwi A lovely pūrerehua and it's one of the candidates for #Bugoftheyear2023

https://bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/

I think I may have finally spotted bee contender for Bug of the Year - Ngaro Huruhuru in my garden!
#bugoftheyear #BugOfTheYear2023 #insects

https://bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/bee/

I just discovered @NZEntoSoc runs a Bug of the year contest Details of all 2023 nominees at https://bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/?fbclid=IwAR2b_RqXhYzm7N9XeUiRVfjcBAiqsQwcEQeLDyW4e8A-32w2gf1gYdcU4GY but I'm gonna have to go with the Orange Spotted Ladybird Beetle, Lichen moth and Puriri moth. Results announced 14 Feb 2023.

#NZBugOfTheYear #BugOfTheYear2023
#OrangeSpottedLadybird
#LichenMoth #PuririMoth

I just discovered @NZEntoSoc runs a Bug of the year contest Details of all 2023 nominees at https://bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/?fbclid=IwAR2b_RqXhYzm7N9XeUiRVfjcBAiqsQwcEQeLDyW4e8A-32w2gf1gYdcU4GY but I'm gonna have to go with the Orange Spotted Ladybird Beetle, Lichen moth and Puriri moth. Results announced 14 Feb 2023.

#NZBugOfTheYear #BugOfTheYear2023
#OrangeSpottedLadybird #Lichen moth #Lichen moth

I just discovered @NZEntoSoc runs a Bug of the year contest Details of all 2023 nominees at https://bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/?fbclid=IwAR2b_RqXhYzm7N9XeUiRVfjcBAiqsQwcEQeLDyW4e8A-32w2gf1gYdcU4GY but I'm gonna have to go with the Orange Spotted Ladybug

#NZBugOfTheYear #BugOfTheYear2023
#OrangeSpottedLadybug

A Lady New Zealand Praying Mantis has priorities!

This is a reminder to think about voting in the inaugural #New Zealand #BugOfTheYear2023

The native NZ Praying mantis loves flies #nomnom

Vote #TeamMantis

https://bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/

#EatPrayLove #Entomology #BugsAreGreat #NZento #biodiversity #Scicomm

I missed the annual conference this year but I won't miss voting for #BugOfTheYear2023

Torn between the two insects with a freshwater life stage and the sole arachnid, I voted #1 for Kapowai

Vote now here: https://bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz

iNaturalist image © Geoff Marshall

I missed the annual conference this year but I won't miss voting for #BugOfTheYear2023
@NZEntoSoc

Torn between the two insects with a freshwater life stage and the sole arachnid, I voted #1 for Kapowai

Vote now here: https://bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz

iNaturalist image © Geoff Marshall

@mooziel didn't realise there was a bug of the year comp. That'll be hard. Had a look and never heard of some of them.
#BugOfTheYear2023

I think I'm Team Cicada #BugOfTheYear2023

Nothing says summer like cicada song

@SisyphusReturns Yes! You can find more info about it here... https://bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz #BugOfTheYear2023

@nev @joeldane It's a huhu beetle. A NZ native. People here often eat the plump, juicy, wood-boring larvae. They say they taste like peanut butter, but to me they just taste of wood pulp. I can tell you from personal experience that they're much nicer cooked than raw! In the right places, adults are often attracted to lit windows on warm dark summer nights. They're one of the species you can vote for in #BugOfTheYear2023. Delightful creatures! More info here: https://bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/tunga-rere-huhu-beetle/

I can't tell you how excited I am about this...!

Voting for New Zealand's first ever 'Bug of The Year' competition starts on 14 November

#BugOfTheYear2023

More information here: https://bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/