A strange, gummy-looking creature with a surprising hunting method has won New Zealand’s Bug of the Year award.
The Peripatoides novaezealandiae, a species of velvet worm, sprays sticky goo from its head to trap prey before dissolving it into a liquid meal. This ancient invertebrate, which has remained almost unchanged for 500 million years, beat 20 other fascinating bugs to claim the top spot.
Velvet worms, known as Ngāokeoke in Māori, are not actually worms or caterpillars, despite their appearance. They have rows of pudgy legs and skin speckled like a galaxy. Scientists consider them a “living fossil” and a rare link between worms and insects. The winning species is just one of about 30 types of velvet worms found in New Zealand, usually hiding on the forest floor.
“They seem soft and slow, but they are actually skilled hunters,” said On Lee Lau from Tūhura Otago Museum, who supported the velvet worm’s nomination. The creatures shoot jets of slime from special structures near their mouths, trapping unsuspecting prey.
Despite their ancient history, velvet worms are difficult to study because they are elusive and live in hidden forest habitats. Some species, like the winner, even give birth to live young rather than laying eggs. While their population is considered stable, habitat loss and predators pose risks to their survival.
The Bug of the Year competition, run by the Entomological Society of New Zealand, started in 2023 and is gaining popularity. This year, nearly 10,000 people voted, making it the most competitive yet. The velvet worm won with 2,652 votes, just 110 votes ahead of the runner-up, an apple-green praying mantis. Other contenders included a wingless fly that rides on bats, a gherkin-shaped slug, and a sea slug named after Sméagol from The Lord of the Rings.
