Explore related articles

Our elusive native butterflies

What do kiwi, tuatara and many butterflies have in common in New Zealand? They are all native animals that the average person rarely sees in the wild. If you ask most people about butterflies ...

+ Create new collection

ARTICLE

Nocturnal adaptations of moths

Moths make up the third most diverse insect group in New Zealand, and their day/night habits are also diverse. While most moths are nocturnal (active at night), others are diurnal (active during ...

+ Create new collection

ARTICLE

Ahi Pepe MothNet – an introduction

Moths are members of the order Lepidoptera, but these mostly nocturnal creatures are often in the shadow of the brighter, day-flying butterflies. New Zealand has fewer than 20 butterfly species ...

+ Create new collection

Explore related activities

ACTIVITY

Caring for earthworms in the classroom

In this activity, students consider some of the ethical issues involved with keeping earthworms (and other animals) captive in a classroom setting. By the end of this activity, students should be ...

+ Create new collection

ACTIVITY

Pollinator counts – insects and flowers

Pollinators are insects that visit flowers to drink nectar or feed on pollen. During this process, they get covered in pollen grains and then transport the pollen from one plant to another ...

+ Create new collection

ACTIVITY

Observing earthworms

In this activity, students use observation to explore earthworm anatomy and the nature of science. By the end of this activity, students should be able to: identify various physical ...

+ Create new collection

Explore related citizen science projects

CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECT

Adrift

Although invisible to the naked eye, marine microbes drift continually in our ocean systems, quietly consuming up to 50% of the Earth’s CO₂ through photosynthesis and producing nearly as much ...

+ Create new collection

CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECT

iNaturalist

iNaturalist logs hundreds of thousands of photos of flora, fauna and fungi. There are even sound recordings too. Each is described and geo located. iNaturalist is used by citizens and scientists ...

+ Create new collection

CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECT

Big Butterfly Count

This New Zealand-based citizen science project collects data about butterflies in our gardens, schools, parks and farms – any location in the country or on the outer islands. This annual event – ...

+ Create new collection

Explore related PLD

TEACHER PLD

Earthworms (upper primary) – unit plan

To most of us, one earthworm resembles another. Although earthworms do have common characteristics, species differ widely in their size, skin colour and in the roles they play in the soil ...

+ Create new collection

TEACHER PLD

Observology for the classroom

Join Greta Dromgool and guest Giselle Clarkson in this recorded professional learning session which introduces the practice of observology. Giselle Clarkson is a New Zealand author and ...

+ Create new collection

TEACHER PLD

Butterflies (lower primary) – unit plan

This unit plan is designed for students in years 1–5. When someone mentions the word ‘butterfly’, what image pops into your head? Chances are it’s the monarch or the white butterfly, as these are ...

+ Create new collection

Explore related videos

VIDEO

Collecting moths

Dr Robert Hoare, of Landcare Research NZ Ltd, takes us on a moth-collecting expedition. Join Dr Hoare as he goes out at night to collect moths for scientific study.

+ Create new collection

VIDEO

A passion for moths

Dr Robert Hoare, of Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research, talks about why he loves moths – a fascinating story of how an entomologist grew to love these night-time fliers. Points of interest ...

+ Create new collection

VIDEO

The Ahi Pepe MothNet project

Quantitative ecologist Dr Barbara Anderson and members of Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ōtepoti introduce the Ahi Pepe MothNet project.

+ Create new collection

Explore related interactives

SLIDESHOW

New Zealand native butterflies – slideshow

Use this Aotearoa New Zealand native butterflies slideshow to learn more about native butterfly habits and behaviour, then go butterfly hunting! Use the Slideshow menu for further options ...

+ Create new collection

INTERACTIVE

Ahi Pepe MothNet: Gateway to ecology and science

Exploring moths as ecological indicators of health and connectedness in our natural world. Select here for further information, transcript and copyright.

+ Create new collection

SLIDESHOW

Common New Zealand earthworms – slideshow

Learn more about introduced and native earthworms in Aotearoa New Zealand. Use the Slideshow menu for further options, including view full screen, and go here for the download option.

+ Create new collection