Huhu beetle

The huhu beetle (Prionoplus reticularis) is the largest endemic beetle found in New Zealand, a member of the longhorn beetle family (Cerambycidae).

Huhu is now often used as the name for all stages of life of the beetle, but traditionally huhu was the Māori name for the larval stage, which was also known as tunga rakau or tunga haere. The whitish larvae are up to 70 millimetres (2.8 in) long and normally feed on dead wood of gymnosperms (mainly native and introduced conifers). The native host plants are all associated with lowland podocarp forest. They are edible, and are said by some to taste like buttery chicken.

As the huhu reaches maturity it ceases to bore and casts its skin, this still edible stage is known in Maori as tataka. It then develops wings and legs, and while it is still white, it is known as pepe. Finally it emerges and flies off to reproduce and is known as a huhu beetle or to Maori as tunga rere , in it's full adult stage it no longer eats food and only lives for approximately 2 weeks.

1981

1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (dominical letter D) of the Gregorian calendar, the 1981st year of the Common Era (CE) and Anno Domini (AD) designations, the 981st year of the 2nd millennium, the 81st year of the 20th century, and the 2nd year of the 1980s decade.

Events

January