We're all on tenterhooks waiting for the results to be announced tomorrow for the NZ Bug of the Year competition!

Here's a few of my favourite contenders. Now voting is over I'll admit I have been quietly rooting for the velvet worm too - they're amazing animals, almost as great as giant springtails!

Whatever happens, thanks so much everyone for your support and patience with my endless vote soliciting on here.

Good luck tomorrow #TeamGiantSpringtail! Fingers crossed!

#Entomology #BugoftheYear2025 #SoilBiodiversity #NewZealand #Aotearoa

Only 24 hours left to vote for the Giant Springtails to win Bug of the Year!

If I haven't convinced you yet, perhaps this photo I took of one DEFENSIVELY BLEEDING will win you over. So metal.

We need every vote we can get, so please vote now: https://www.bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/vote-here-2025/

#Invertebrate #TeamGiantSpringtail #BugoftheYear2025 #BugoftheYear #Entomology #Collembola

Colouring contest results!!

There were so many amazing entries, but these two were so good I couldn't decide between them and split the result into two categories 😅

Congratulations to Kora and Heidi for these epic giant springtails, I'll be in touch to arrange your prizes!

There's only two days left to vote for the giant springtail to win bug of the year. Vote now: https://www.bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/vote-here-2025/

#TeamGiantSpringtail #BugoftheYear2025 #Collembola #Entomology

🚨BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!🚨

I know everything is a lot right now, but this is the LAST WEEK of Bug of the Year, and team velvet worm are hot on our heels!

Please VOTE NOW to make Giant Springtails victorious!

https://www.bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/vote-here-2025/

Here's the announcement:
IF WE WIN, I WILL GET A GIANT SPRINGTAIL TATTOO!!

#BugoftheYear #BugoftheYear2025 #Collembola #Entomology #SoilBiodiversity #SoilFauna #SoilEcology #Macrophotography

🚨Colouring contest update🚨

The #TeamGiantSpringtail colouring competition has had some impressive submissions, well done to everyone who has contributed so far!

To help some local libraries get involved, I'm extending the deadline to 14th Feb - so there's still time to submit a romantic valentines springtail drawing!

Just download the template and have a go! Post your finished artwork on here with the tag #TeamGiantSpringtail and make sure you vote for the giant springtail in the contest!

Template here: https://www.bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Giant-Springtail-scaled.jpg

#BugoftheYear #Entomology #BugoftheYear2025 #SoilBiodiversity

Less than 3 weeks left till #BugoftheYear2025 is over!

I'll go back to posting photos of other lovely soil invertebrates when voting closes on 17th Feb... but until then it's gonna step up a notch!

Just look at this little face and go vote Giant Springtail: https://www.bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/vote-here-2025/

#Invertebrate #Collembola #Entomology #Macrophotography #SoilBiodiversity #Aotearoa #NewZealand #TeamGiantSpringtail

Jeff just got even sexier.

There's only four weeks left to vote for Giant Springtails to win the Bug of the Year contest. Let's get these tiny prehistoric marvels the public attention and conservation support they need!

https://www.bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/vote-here-2025/

#Invertebrate #TeamGiantSpringtail #Entomology #SoilBiodiversity #Collembola #BugoftheYear #BugoftheYear2025

For a little bit of joy amidst the gloom, I voted in New Zealand Bug of the Year 2025. You could too! https://bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/

My three votes went to:

1. Ngāokeoke (NZ Velvet Worm) https://bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/2024-bug-of-the-year-nominees/ngaokeoke-nz-velvet-worm/

2. Giant Springtail https://bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/2025-bug-of-the-year-nominees/giant-springtail/

3. Powelliphanta | Giant Ground Snail https://bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/2025-bug-of-the-year-nominees/powelliphanta-giant-ground-snail/

Thanks to @joncounts for boosting @frankashwood's springtail promos by way of encouragement 😊

#BugOfTheYear
#BugOfTheYear2025
#BugsAndCrittersOfAotearoa

I have it on good authority that the Giant Springtail is the current frontrunner in #BugoftheYear, so a huge thanks to everyone who has voted for it so far!

BUT it's still early days, and there's a month of voting left - so let's keep the momentum up! Vote here, if you haven't already: https://www.bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/vote-here-2025/

Thanks to Amy Vaughan for being chief meme creator for #TeamGiantSpringtail. Stand by for lots more top quality content.

#BotY #bugoftheyear2025 #Invertebrate #Entomology #Nature #Bugs #Insects #Collembola

Sup dawg, I heard you like springtails. So I put a springtail on your springtail so you can look at a springtail while looking at a springtail.

Don't let the competition walk all over giant springtails like this cheeky blighter, vote today: https://bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/2025-bug-of-the-year-nominees/giant-springtail/

#Entomology #Macrophotography #TeamGiantSpringtail #BugoftheYear2025 #BotY #SoilEcology #SoilBiodiversity #Invertebrate