Is that tree a Miro or matai? These two native New Zealand trees are similar looking, but here are some tips to help you tell them apart. New Zealand is home to a diverse and varied ecosystem. There are beautiful beaches, volcanoes, lakes, and a…
Tag: nature facts
iNaturalist is a great, free tool to help you identify unknown plants or animals. This post explains what it is and how to use it. I love exploring New Zealand, especially visiting a new area I haven’t been to before and finding new species. The…
Here are 4 common New Zealand cicadas that you may see and likely hear during summer. These are just a few of the more than 40 species of cicada in the country. Well, we are at that time of year again when the bush is…
I am excited to announce the release of my book, The Real Guide to New Zealand: the Unique Nature of Aotearoa. The book was officially released on 10 November 2022. We are so lucky to live in such a special part of the world here…
The New Zealand mountain cedar or pahautea is a stunning native tree. Here are 5 facts about this lovely, sometimes gnarled native tree. This tree is a type of cedar and can be recognised as such by looking at the ‘leaves’, which have that distinctive…
Is that a gecko or skink? Here are 3 tips to help you tell apart New Zealand’s endemic lizards (excluding tuatara, which is another reptile). I bet that most of the time when people think of the natural world of New Zealand they picture amazing…
New Zealand’s fungi come in a dazzling array of colours and forms. Here are some of the more remarkable and colourful fungi. There is nothing I enjoy more than spending a day walking outdoors. The world above treeline always feels like a magical place to…
New Zealand is home to some incredibly long living species. Here are 6 New Zealand long living species, and a possible explanation for why they live so long. The more I learn about the marvels of the natural world of Aotearoa, the more I am…
Kiekie is one of the common plants found in native bush across New Zealand and a taonga species. Here are 5 facts about this endemic vine. The native podocarp/broadleaf forest of New Zealand appears to be a tangled mass of green, which it is. But,…
New Zealand’s weka is a curious bird that can be seen across the country. Here are 7 facts to reveal more about this native bird. The first time I saw a weka I was pretty excited. We were at some roadside attraction on the South…