Call goes out for huhu grubs

Due to the large number of residents in the Tuatarium, the Southland Museum is relaunching its annual appeal asking Southlanders to find and bring in live huhu grub larvae.
 
The Southland Museum and Art Gallery’s Tuatara Curator, Lindsay Hazley, said the tuatara, which now number over 100, are exiting hibernation moving into spring.
 
“Each tuatara consumes 50-80 huhu grubs or locusts per year. The tuatara are coming out of winter mode now, so they need to feed.
 
“Spring and summer is their binge period when they build up body fat. They may feed twice weekly, subject to the weather. If we have a warm week, they’ll feed twice. They need their body temperature high to process their food,” Mr Hazley said.
 
Mr Hazley said although the Museum is able to breed locusts to feed the tuatara, the locusts didn’t grow fast enough and the food stock was running low.


Photo courtesy of Invercargill City Council
 
“We appreciate any donations of huhu grubs. If you’re outside the city in the bush and see a dead log with holes in it the size of your finger, it’s a sign it’s infested with huhu grubs. If you break open the log you will be able to pick them out.
 
“Bring them in as soon as you can and separate them in the container within the saw dust from the logs. We will often feed some of the tuatara straight away when huhu grubs become available so people can see the whole cycle.
 

Photo courtesy of Invercargill City Council

“The young tuatara eat the smaller larvae, beetles, and worms. We also vitamin boost the insects. We are careful not collect food from within the city boundaries as the insects have built up immunities,” Mr Hazley said.