Robyn
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kakaruwai.bsky.social
Robyn
@kakaruwai.bsky.social
She/her. Technician @ Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research, formerly @ Plant & Food, MSc Graduate from University of Canterbury. Loves birds and bugs & all the animals
My indoor cat approves of her new catflap (to an enclosed patio area). I never knew these temporary, removeable, renter friendly pet doors existed til this year. They just slot into your sliding door, and saved me ~$800 vs cutting one into double-glazing. #cat #indoorcat #bunnings #catio
November 26, 2025 at 8:41 PM
I have a spoilt cat. She doesn't like toys much, but treats are all good. If you have a pet, I recommend these cooling beds (come in all sizes) from PetStock, it is her fave possession ever
November 14, 2025 at 8:49 AM
I am delighted that the babies grew so fast I thought that they died (they were pupating in the soil) and today emerged as the first adult purple loosestrife beetles ever in New Zealand! We will work towards gaining final permission to release them in Spring/Summer #biocontrol #weeds #entomology
August 21, 2025 at 6:41 AM
The takoyakis are hatching! The little octopus tentacles are crawling around! #biocontrol #beetles #entomology
August 4, 2025 at 9:10 AM
My purple loosestrife #beetle eggs arrived but they look more like takoyaki or profiteroles. Bet you can't tell them apart. #biocontrol #entomology #weedcontrol
August 1, 2025 at 10:25 AM
Spending my morning contributing to science and submitting every thing I can find in my yard #CityNatureChallenge #iNaturalist
April 25, 2025 at 12:17 AM
Lacebugs also eating me out of house and home, luckily they're off to Vanuatu again next month. Look at them twerking! www.landcareresearch.co.nz/news/vanuatu... #entomology #insects #bugs #biocontrol #invasivespecies
March 24, 2025 at 11:42 PM
Air potato beetle larvae eating me out of house and home. Great natural enemies to fight this tropical weed. Off to Niue again soon! www.landcareresearch.co.nz/publications...
March 24, 2025 at 11:39 PM
Packing up a shipment of flea beetles to send another batch to Tonga to help fight one of the most invasive trees in the world. www.sprep.org/news/arrival... #biocontrol #entomology
February 12, 2025 at 11:32 PM
Is this the world's first kowhai moth detecting cat?!? I'm collecting larvae at home to rear at the lab for an ecology project. Pepper helps find the ones that drop to the ground. #entomology #predatorfreenz #kowhai #bugs #catswithjobs #indoorcat
February 12, 2025 at 8:49 AM
Lace bugs under the microscope. I maintain a colony to help fight an invasive pasture weed in Vanuatu. www.landcareresearch.co.nz/news/lace-bu... #entomology #biologicalcontrol #biocontrol #climatechange #vanuatu
January 29, 2025 at 12:05 AM
Collecting eggs and prepping the air potato beetles colony for the next Niue release www.landcareresearch.co.nz/news/beetle-...
#biocontrol #entomology #niue #weeds #ecology
January 21, 2025 at 10:35 PM
I don't mind working through the summer break because I get to look after these beauties! www.landcareresearch.co.nz/news/vanuatu...
#beetles #biocontrol #NaturalEnemiesNaturalSolutions
December 23, 2024 at 2:37 AM
Some of the pupae from last week have emerged, hungry for some host testing. www.landcareresearch.co.nz/discover-our...
Gathering extra data for the EPA application to release biocontrol beetles for Chilean flame creeper
December 9, 2024 at 2:46 AM
Today I'm learning how to sex the pupae of Chilean flame creeper leaf beetles (Blaptea elguetai) in preparation for host specificity. I hadn't realised how hairy but cute they are. www.landcareresearch.co.nz/publications...
December 6, 2024 at 12:57 AM