Recording the distributions of weeds both in Wellington and further afield is an ongoing interest for Te Papa’s Botany Curator Leon Perrie and Researcher Lara Shepherd. Together they have added hundreds of weed specimens to Te Papa’s herbarium since the Covid lockdown. One recent weed collecting trip to Upper Hutt demonstrated how the use of common names can lead to confusion.Read more
A new paper entitled Wikidata for Botanists: Benefits of collaborating and sharing Linked Open Data has been published in the Annals of Botany. This publication is the result of a collaboration of four researchers (who are all also Wikidata editors) from three countries. Curator Botany Heidi Meudt talks about how did this unique international collaboration come about, and what does Wikidata have to do with Botany?Read more
Over the last few months, three examples of a most enigmatic and unusual oarfish washed ashore in Tasmania, at Aromoana, and Birdlings Flat, causing an immediate spike in interest: Was this a sign that a major earthquake was imminent? Are we in for a bumper herring harvest… both?! That is what Andrew was asked by reporters from the Christchurch Press and The Guardian. Here, curators Andrew Stewart and Thom Linley break down the science of the oarfish.Read more
Earlier this year, the Wellington branch of Forest & Bird held a bioblitz in a local reserve they are helping to restore. Curator Botany Leon Perrie talks about looking for the little plants.Read more
Landhoppers – tiny, jumping crustaceans – are a vital yet often overlooked part of Aotearoa New Zealand’s invertebrate fauna. Northland entomologist Olly Ball, University College Cork’s amphipod expert Alan Myers and Te Papa geneticist Lara Shepherd have just described a new species and genus of landhopper from Manawatāwhi Three KingsRead more
Prions are a group of small seabirds that are very difficult to tell apart. This is part of the reason why it took more than 70 years to identify New Zealand’s first MacGillivray’s prion. Bird curator Colin Miskelly describes how modern genetic methods were used to identify old museum specimens – and to add a new species to the New Zealand and Australian lists.Read more
For the second blog in our series introducing places, people, methods, and species important to palaeontological research at Te Papa and beyond, curators Felix Marx and Alan Tennyson, along with Researcher William Parker and Collection Manager Hazel Richards, introduce us to the new Te Papa Fossil Preparation Laboratory. We’re very happy to introduce you to theRead more
Art history research assistant Amy Holtman has helped rediscover her extensive work on An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand. The discovery adds another layer to our understanding of Adams’ contributions to Aotearoa New Zealand’s culture and renews our awareness of her impact on our cultural heritage.Read more
The iNaturalist City Nature Challenge is an annual event where cities around the world compete to record the most observations and species, and have the greatest number of participants over a four-day period. Science Researcher Lara Shepherd, Invertebrate Curator Kerry Walton, and Vertebrate Curator Andrew Stewart discuss some of the events held in Wellington during this year’s Challenge, where they were able to share their expertise to help people explore nature.Read more
Each year, cities across the globe gear up for the iNaturalist City Nature Challenge – a thrilling four-day race to document the most wildlife observations, uncover the widest array of species, and rally the highest number of participants. It’s a celebration of biodiversity, citizen science, and the unexpected wonders hidingRead more
Along with Simon Pollard, Curator Invertebrates Phil Sirvid is the co-author of Why is that Spider Dancing? The Amazing Arachnids of Aotearoa. The insect-inspired sequel The Incredible Insects of Aotearoa launches in May 2025. Here, Phil gives us a sneak peek between the covers. Inside The Incredible Insects of Aotearoa, Simon andRead more
Nancy Adams was one of New Zealand’s most prolific botanists and a talented artist. She made substantial contributions to Te Papa’s herbarium collection and produced a vast number of botanical illustrations, which were included in widely distributed and well-regarded books about New Zealand flora. As part of their summer research, Lucia Adams and Margo Montes de Oca spent some time looking through several of Nancy’s field guides which were published as part of the ‘Mobil New Zealand Nature Series’ – in particular, Mountain Flowers in New Zealand (1980) and New Zealand Native Trees (1967). You may recognise these books – they are beautiful, helpful and accessible guides to plants in the New Zealand bush.Read more
Welcome to the second instalment of the April Fool’s Day Files, where we celebrate the conniving con artists, tantalising tricksters, and devilish deceivers of the natural world. This year, Natural History curators Phil Sirvid and Thom Linley illuminate how animals lie with light. The bioluminescent light some animals make is a chemical reaction of luciferin, named after Lucifer, the Lightbringer, the Great Deceiver, and the Father of Lies, it’s time to trick with light!Read more
March 14 is Save a Spider Day, and this year, Curator Invertebrates Phil Sirvid is answering some spidery questions from the public and Te Papa kaimahi. ️Read more
Natural history curator Dr Colin Miskelly completed Te Araroa Trail a year ago today. His epic mission was to count every individual bird seen and heard along the 3,257 km trail, from Cape Reinga to Bluff. He has now completed another marathon – analysing, writing-up and publishing his findings as a scientific paper. ‘Birds of Te Araroa Trail – Aotearoa New Zealand’s long pathway’ was published in the March 2025 issue of the journal Notornis, just xx days ago. Colin shares the main findings here.Read more
