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Event

Bug day 2026

14 February 2026 - 14 February 2026

10 am–3 pm

Region(s): Otago

Type(s): experiences, exhibitions, presentations

Join Tūhura Otago Museum for a day of family fun and celebrate bugs!

Tūhura Otago Museum is supporting the kahuwai (black tunnelweb spider) in the 2026 New Zealand Bug of the Year contest – come along to learn about these fascinating creatures and meet local bug experts from the Museum, the Otago Entomological Society, and the University of Otago.

Schedule

  • 10 am–3 pm: Stalls and Bug Makerspace (Atrium 1), Bug Gallery Trail (Whole Museum)

  • 10:30 am: Frog Feeding (Atrium 1) and Bearded Dragon Feeding (Tropical Forest)

  • 11 am: What's That Spider? (Barclay Theatre) and First Flight (Tropical Forest)

  • 12:30 pm–3pm: BristleBot workshops (Hutton Theatre – Bookings Required)

  • 11 am – 1 pm: Face Painting (Atrium 1) and Spider Drinks (Museum Reserve)

  • 12 pm: Bug Illustration Workshop (Barclay Theatre)

  • 12:30 pm: Storytelling with Dunedin Public Libraries (Southern Land, Southern People)

  • 1:30 pm: Can Bugs Really Do That? (Barclay Theatre)

  • 2 pm: Mini Beasts of the Forest (Tropical Forest) and Bug Spotlight Tour (Whole Museum)

  • 2:30 pm: Storytelling with Dunedin Public Libraries (Southern Land, Southern People) and The Social Lives of Spiders (Barclay Theatre)

Enjoy a day full of hands-on activities. Please note that some of these events are paid or part of Science Centre and Tropical Forest admission.

Venue: Tūhura Otago Museum, 419 Great King Street, Dunedin

For more information and to book, see: https://otagomuseum.nz/whats-on/bug-day-2026.

Related content

In the Connected article City of bugs, students teamed up with a scientist to find out which ecosystem in their city had the most invertebrates and to find a peripatus (ngāokeoke or velvet worm). 

For more on insects, see these key articles:

  • What’s so special about insects?

  • Insect taxonomy

  • Aquatic insect life

  • Insects – physical characteristics

  • Wētā

  • Glow-worms

  • Label the insect activity

  • All about insects – PLD webinar

  • Butterflies

  • Moths

Discover how insects use their antennae in this fascinating article.

Our article Living World – Insects, provides links to the wide range of Science Learning Hub resources for teachers related to insects in the Living World strand of the New Zealand Curriculum.

Visit our We love bugs! Pinterest board for links to more resources and community activities.

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Glossary

Published: 21 January 2026
Referencing Hub media

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