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Is it a crab? Is it a spider? It's a crab spider! The common square-ended crab spider (Sidymella angularis) to be precise.  Audio

You might have come across the creamy white spiral shells of this week's critter on the beach. The enigmatic ram's horn squid, Spirula spirula is a squid-like cephalopod mollusc. Audio

This week's critter is found on sandy beaches throughout Aotearoa. The mowhiti, or New Zealand sandhopper, is a sand-burrowing, beach-loving amphipod with impressive jumping abilities. Audio

The Otago alpine cockroach is only found on the Rock and Pillar Range in Otago and can survive being frozen. Audio

Summer is officially over and Autumn has begun. It's a time of year that fungi lovers across the country get excited about as all sorts of weird and wonderful fruiting bodies emerge out of the dark… Audio

For Made in NZ this week we head to sunny Nelson where woodworker and artist Katrine Kaarsemaker makes Flap! toys, These are simply handmade toys which flap, anything such as native birds, bats and… Audio

This week's critter is one of our most endangered trees: the maire tawake or swamp maire, Syzgium maire. This rare tree only grows in swamp forests in warmer parts of Aotearoa. Audio

If you're a native New Zealand cockroach, the ngaro wiwi black cockroach hunter wasp is the stuff of your worst nightmares. Audio

Termites are tenacious critters - they never sleep and spend their waking lives chewing wood and renovating their extensive colonies. Luckily, we only have three native species of termite in Aotearoa… Audio

The first Critter of 2024 is the largest snail in Aotearoa - the superb giant land snail, Powelliphanta superba. These snails are big, golden and fabulous, and they're a worm's worst nightmare! Audio

Santa isn't the only one zipping around in a red coat at this time of year. The beautiful redcoat damselfly, Xanthocnemis zealandica, is commonly seen flitting around streams and ponds all over the… Audio

Monday December 11 is International Mountain Day - a day to celebrate mountains and the incredible role they play in our world. It's also a great day to celebrate the Mt Arthur giant weta, Deinacrida… Audio

The week's critter is a native species of spittlebug. Spittlebugs get their common name from the spit-like substance the young bugs create on plants. Audio

The whekau (also known as the laughing owl, hakoke, or korehengi) is one of only two species of owls native to Aotearoa.  Audio

Today (Nov 3) is World Jellyfish Day - a day to celebrate these remarkable sea creatures that have been around for around 500 million years and are older than the dinosaurs! The purple people eater… Audio

Summer is on its way and that means our cicadas are crawling their way out of the ground to sing up a storm. Did you know Aotearoa is home to the world's only alpine cicadas? It's the Canterbury scree… Audio

You might find this tiny critter in a kowhai tree near you. The hobbit psyllid takes its scientific name from Frodo Baggins as both are smaller than their relations. It's also found in the South… Audio

The vampire squid (Vampyroteuthis infernalis) might sound scary, but it's more like a soft-bodied floating Christmas tree than a blood-sucking creature of the night. This deep-sea creature has some… Audio

The vagrant spiders are unique to Aotearoa. They are big and hairy, and they like to roam around in search of a meal. When they're not wandering around at night in native forests or suburban gardens… Audio

The spiky leaves and flowers of taramea or golden speargrass are famous for their power to draw blood (even through gaiters!). But if you can get past the spike, you'll encounter one of the most… Audio

This week's critter is the endangered Fiordland skink, Oligosoma acrinasum - a sleek, dark-coloured skink that lives on the rocky shores of Fiordland. Sun is at a premium in this part of the world, so… Audio