Nature's Corner – Insects – Early to Mid Summer 2005-2006
Insect Observations
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| Weta Hotel |
Most of the year we scarcely notice insects, except when we peer into the bedrooms of sleeping putangatanga / Wellington tree weta (Hemideina crassidens) that have taken up residence in our specially constructed Weta Hotels, or when we visit the Morning Star Mine and cause their leggy relatives the tokoriro / cave weta (Gymnoplectron edwardsii) to have recurrent nightmares about people with torches invading their dormitory. Summer, however, is a good time to spot day-active insects, either on the wing, feeding, sunbathing, or mating.
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| Mating striped longhorn beetles |
These striped longhorn beetles (Navomorpha lineata) are less than 2cm long from head to tail. Not surprisingly, they were oblivious to my presence when I sat down to share the same wooden seat beside the Valley View Track in early December.
Fortunately, I saw and avoided them, which saved them from a premature end. They were still coupled when I finished my lunch and departed 20 minutes later. I wondered whether they intended the seat to be sustenance for their future descendants, because their grubs tunnel into and eat wood. But Andrew Crowe’s book, Which New Zealand Insect?, told me that they burrow into the live twigs of a variety of trees and shrubs, including the introduced pines that are common along that particular track. The adult beetles eat pollen.
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| Kekewai or Blue Damselfly |
More likely to catch your attention are the damselflies who would qualify for ‘frequent flier’ status at present. Their rather slow and fluttery flight makes them conspicuous. They are often mistakenly called dragonflies. Watch how they fold their wings back in line with their bodies when they land. In contrast, a dragonfly rests with its wings held out at right-angles to its body. Some damselflies have red bodies; others have turquoise blue bodies. These are different species: kihitara / red damselflies (Xanthocnemis zealandica) and kekewai / blue damselflies (Austrolestes colensonis). Like all damselflies, the adults hunt and eat other flying insects. They actually have hunting territories that they defend from poaching by other damselflies. But the early stages of their lives are spent as flightless nymphs living underwater in creeks and lakes, so they have to lay their eggs on underwater plants. You sometimes see mated pairs dipping into the water to do this at the Keith Taylor wetland.
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| Pepe parariki or Common Copper Butterfly |
When you are resting or picnicking at Tui Terrace, watch for the pretty little pepe parariki / common copper butterflies (Lycaena salustius complex) that come intermittently to sip nectar from the lopsided flowers of the panakenake (Pratia angulata) groundcover. They lay their eggs on the pohuehue (Muehlenbeckia australis) vines that trail over the bush canopy behind the terrace and elsewhere, and their tiny green caterpillars hatch out to chomp the leaves.
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| Kihikihi or Cicada |
After living underground for at least three years, wingless kihikihi / cicada nymphs have been climbing bushes and trees and sloughing their skins to emerge as winged adults. You may see the odd skin hanging where it has been vacated. The songs of the males inviting females to mate are a quintessential summer sound. When disturbed they take to the air in a swerving wing-whirring flight. There are numerous species in New Zealand. The backs of the Amphipsalta species are attractively patterned as you may observe if one happens to land on your hand. The noisiest are Amphipsalta zealandica that sing in huge choruses during hot dry weather in mid to late summer, creating an ear-tingling background noise that has been claimed to exceed human noise regulations!
This edition of Nature's Corner was written by Sanctuary volunteer Allison Buchan.
All insect photographs in this edition © Allison Buchan; Weta Hotel photograph © Karori Wildlife Sanctuary.