Bug of the Year 2024

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Across
  1. 4. This bug lives up to its name, able to grow bigger than a large fist
  2. 6. This bug climbs trees to hunt in the Chatham Islands
  3. 8. Larvae of these fungus gnats draw in millions of dollars for NZ tourism each year (Te Reo)
  4. 9. This bug is a member of some of the loudest invertebrates in the world
  5. 14. These bugs live in the soil where they help to cycle nutrients
  6. 15. This bug relies on native nettle, on which it lays its eggs (Te Reo)
  7. 17. This nocturnal predator relies on smells and vibrations produced by its prey to hunt
  8. 18. This small bug's Latin name was dedicated to small heroes from The Lord of The Rings
  9. 19. This voracious predator paralyses its prey with jets of sticky liquid spewed from its mouth (Te Reo)
Down
  1. 1. This obligate parasite shares an intimate evolutionary history with its host and namesake
  2. 2. These bugs are some of the most efficient predators in the world, catching prey even better than lions or sharks (Te Reo)
  3. 3. This predator controls pest insect populations, hunting and feeding pests to their larvae (Te Reo)
  4. 5. This spotted garden-helper can eat more than 100 aphids in a single day
  5. 7. This bug can make sounds heard kilometers away by stridulating its legs
  6. 10. This region features the only protected land dedicated to an insect in the world, the beetle who shares its name
  7. 11. This bug is only found in alpine regions of the South Island
  8. 12. This bug's relatives overseas can carry nasty diseases, but in Aotearoa they are disease-free
  9. 13. These enigmatic lovers are renown for sexual cannibalism
  10. 15. This is one of the most venomous animals found in Aotearoa (Te Reo)
  11. 16. This flying bug is the only member of its genus