http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz Our place, our voices Fri, 24 May 2013 01:07:18 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ http://s2.wp.com/i/buttonw-com.png http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2013/05/24/wonder-box-nature-outreach-in-south-island-schools/ http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2013/05/24/wonder-box-nature-outreach-in-south-island-schools/#comments Thu, 23 May 2013 22:29:09 +0000 hmlloydblog http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/?p=21778 ]]> http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2013/05/24/wonder-box-nature-outreach-in-south-island-schools/feed/ 0 hmlloydblog Students making their Wonder Boxes. Photographer: Melanie Dash © Te Papa Mel's drive to work. Photographer: Melanie Dash © Te Papa Linkwater school students making their Wonder Boxes. Photographer: Melanie Dash © Te Papa Georgina shows off her work. Photographer: Melanie Dash © Te Papa http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2013/04/11/a-few-more-botanical-highlights-from-the-foxton-fieldtrip-and-a-katipo-spider/ http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2013/04/11/a-few-more-botanical-highlights-from-the-foxton-fieldtrip-and-a-katipo-spider/#comments Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:19:35 +0000 Lara Shepherd http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/?p=21374 ]]> http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2013/04/11/a-few-more-botanical-highlights-from-the-foxton-fieldtrip-and-a-katipo-spider/feed/ 0 shepherdlara A carpet of tiny ‘3-leaf clover’-like leaves, growing on the shores of Lake Koitiata. We think this is Hydrocotyle sulcata. Photo: Lara Shepherd The distinctive asymmetric flower of Selliera rotundifolia. Photo: Lara Shepherd The keen eyes of Bot Soc member Bev Abbott spotted the tiny fruit of sand gunnera (Gunnera arenaria). Photo: Lara Shepherd Sand coprosma (Coprosma acerosa). The fruit colour of this species can vary but the sand coprosma we saw in the dunes near Foxton had striking blue striped fruit. Photo: Lara Shepherd During a break from botanizing Viv McGlynn located this Katipo spider under a piece of driftwood in the dunes. Photo: Lara Shepherd http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2013/02/16/critters-of-the-poor-knights-islands/ http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2013/02/16/critters-of-the-poor-knights-islands/#comments Sat, 16 Feb 2013 08:05:08 +0000 Colin Miskelly http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/?p=20776 ]]> http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2013/02/16/critters-of-the-poor-knights-islands/feed/ 4 colinmiskelly Flax snails (Placostylus hongii), Aorangi Island, Poor Knights Islands Nature Reserve. Image: Colin Miskelly, Te Papa Amborhytida dunniae, Aorangi Island, Poor Knights Islands Nature Reserve. Image: Colin Miskelly, Te Papa Giant leaf-veined slugs sun-bathing on a towai trunk on Aorangi Island, Poor Knights Islands Nature Reserve. This species was previously unknown to science. Image: Colin Miskelly, Te Papa Large, fast and venomous - a very good reason to keep your tent firmly zipped closed. Giant centipede on Aorangi Island, Poor Knights Islands Nature Reserve. Image: Colin Miskelly, Te Papa A female Poor Knights giant weta sits on the author's hand. Image: Colin Miskelly, Te Papa A female Poor Knights giant weta laying eggs on the forest floor. Note the position of her long ovipositor (egg-laying appendage) compared to the previous photograph. Image: Colin Miskelly, Te Papa Female Poor Knights giant weta moulting, Aorangi Island, Poor Knights Islands Nature Reserve. Image: Colin Miskelly, Te Papa A freshly moulted Poor Knights giant weta consumes its old exoskeleton. Image: Colin Miskelly, Te Papa Poor Knights giant jumping weta (Gymnoplectron giganteum), Aorangi Island, Poor Knights Islands Nature Reserve. Image: Colin Miskelly, Te Papa Poor Knights ground weta, Aorangi Island, Poor Knights Islands Nature Reserve. Image: Colin Miskelly, Te Papa Clapping cicada (Amphipsalta cingulata) nymph, Aorangi Island, Poor Knights Islands Nature Reserve. Image: Colin Miskelly, Te Papa Adult clapping cicada (Amphipsalta cingulata), Aorangi Island, Poor Knights Islands Nature Reserve. Image: Colin Miskelly, Te Papa Flax weevil (Anagotus fairburni) feeding on flax/harakeke, Aorangi Island, Poor Knights Islands Nature Reserve. Image: Colin Miskelly, Te Papa Turbott’s weevil (Anagotus turbotti) on ngaio, Aorangi Island, Poor Knights Islands Nature Reserve. Image: Colin Miskelly, Te Papa Purple rock crabs (Leptograpsus variegatus) scavenge the corpse of a Buller's shearwater, Aorangi Island, Poor Knights Islands Nature Reserve. Image: Colin Miskelly, Te Papa http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2013/02/16/life-through-a-burrowscope-lens-part-2-subterranean-poor-knights-islands/ http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2013/02/16/life-through-a-burrowscope-lens-part-2-subterranean-poor-knights-islands/#comments Sat, 16 Feb 2013 08:03:42 +0000 Colin Miskelly http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/?p=20770 ]]> http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2013/02/16/life-through-a-burrowscope-lens-part-2-subterranean-poor-knights-islands/feed/ 4 colinmiskelly An adult Buller's shearwater on Aorangi Island, Poor Knights Islands Nature Reserve. Image: Colin Miskelly, Te Papa Buller's shearwater burrows on Oneho hill, Aorangi Island, Poor Knights Islands Nature Reserve. Image: Colin Miskelly, Te Papa An adult Buller's shearwater inside its burrow, viewed through a burrowscope. Image: Colin Miskelly, Te Papa Buller’s shearwater egg viewed through a burrowscope. Image: Colin Miskelly, Te Papa Buller’s shearwater chick inside its burrow, viewed through a burrowscope. Image: Colin Miskelly, Te Papa Tuatara inside a shearwater burrow on Aorangi Island, as viewed through a burrowscope. Image: Colin Miskelly, Te Papa A marbled skink (the dark shape on the right) inside a shearwater burrow on Aorangi Island, as viewed through a burrowscope. Image: Colin Miskelly, Te Papa Duvaucel's gecko inside a shearwater burrow on Aorangi Island, as viewed through a burrowscope. Image: Colin Miskelly, Te Papa Flax snail (Placostylus hongii) inside a shearwater burrow on Aorangi Island, as viewed through a burrowscope. Image: Colin Miskelly, Te Papa Kingfisher burrow entrance, Aorangi Island, Poor Knights Islands Nature Reserve. Image: Colin Miskelly, Te Papa Two fully-grown kingfisher chicks inside their burrow on Aorangi Island, viewed through a burrowscope. Image: Colin Miskelly, Te Papa http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2013/01/16/critters-of-titi-island-nature-reserve-marlborough-sounds/ http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2013/01/16/critters-of-titi-island-nature-reserve-marlborough-sounds/#comments Wed, 16 Jan 2013 04:28:36 +0000 Colin Miskelly http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/?p=20133 ]]> http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2013/01/16/critters-of-titi-island-nature-reserve-marlborough-sounds/feed/ 3 colinmiskelly Tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus) on Titi Island. Image: Colin Miskelly, Te Papa Spotted skink (Oligosoma lineoocellatum) among iceplant on Titi Island. Image: Colin Miskelly, Te Papa Common gecko (Woodworthia maculata) on dead coastal flax/wharariki on Titi Island. Image: Colin Miskelly, Te Papa Brown skink (Oligosoma zelandicum) on Titi Island. Image: Colin Miskelly, Te Papa Flax weevil (Anagotus fairburni) and its characteristic ragged feeding sign on a coastal flax/wharariki leaf on Titi Island. Image: Colin Miskelly, Te Papa Darkling beetle (Mimopeus sp.) on a tree trunk on Titi Island. Image: Colin Miskelly, Te Papa Female Wellington tree weta (Hemideina crassidens) on Titi Island. Image: Colin Miskelly, Te Papa Ground weta (Hemiandrus sp.) on Titi Island. Image: Colin Miskelly, Te Papa Sarah Jamieson eyeballing one of several holes chewed through her bedroll by ground weta on Titi Island. Image: Colin Miskelly, Te Papa The carnivorous snail Rhytida stephenensis on Titi Island. Image: Colin Miskelly, Te Papa http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2012/05/22/te-papa-researchers-major-contribution-to-nz-biodiversity-inventory/ http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2012/05/22/te-papa-researchers-major-contribution-to-nz-biodiversity-inventory/#comments Mon, 21 May 2012 22:16:01 +0000 Susan Waugh http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/?p=15629 ]]> http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2012/05/22/te-papa-researchers-major-contribution-to-nz-biodiversity-inventory/feed/ 0 susanwaugh Te Papa taxonomists involved in describing species in the Inventory of New Zealand biodiversity Dennis Gordon with the third volume of the New Zealand Inventory of Biodiversity launched in Wellington 21 May 2012 http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2012/02/16/our-far-south-from-shipwrecks-to-high-seas/ http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2012/02/16/our-far-south-from-shipwrecks-to-high-seas/#comments Wed, 15 Feb 2012 20:06:25 +0000 antonvanhelden http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/?p=13283 ]]> http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2012/02/16/our-far-south-from-shipwrecks-to-high-seas/feed/ 0 antonvanhelden TePapa_becalmed in Carnley Harbour TePapawreck of the Grafton TePapalow fog around adams island WWF - Sea spray small http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2012/02/03/night-life-on-the-poor-knights-islands/ http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2012/02/03/night-life-on-the-poor-knights-islands/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:19:34 +0000 Te Papa http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/?p=12846 ]]> http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2012/02/03/night-life-on-the-poor-knights-islands/feed/ 5 Te Papa The Poor Knights Islands are the remnants of a volcanic island chain. Photo Alan Tennyson, Te Papa Aorangi Island where we set up camp. Photo Alan Tennyson, Te Papa Buller's shearwaters nest only on the Poor Knights. Photo Alan Tennyson, Te Papa DOC's Graeme Taylor holding a Buller's shearwater. Photo Alan Tennyson, Te Papa A geologger on a Buller's shearwater's leg will record its migration around the Pacific. Photo Alan Tennyson, Te Papa The giant land snail Placostylus hongii is common on the Poor Knights. Photo Alan Tennyson, Te Papa This Poor Knights giant weta, climbing on DOC ranger Matiu Mataira, was found hiding in our tent. Photo Alan Tennyson, Te Papa A tuatara hunting at night. Photo Alan Tennyson, Te Papa http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2011/07/15/animal-and-plant-collections/ http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2011/07/15/animal-and-plant-collections/#comments Fri, 15 Jul 2011 01:47:15 +0000 Leon Perrie http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/?p=9824 ]]> http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2011/07/15/animal-and-plant-collections/feed/ 2 Leon http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2011/02/22/creating-a-buzz/ http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2011/02/22/creating-a-buzz/#comments Mon, 21 Feb 2011 19:38:35 +0000 Leon Perrie http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/?p=8218 ]]> http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2011/02/22/creating-a-buzz/feed/ 0 Leon flies