About 216 Canterbury knobbled weevils left captivity for the foothills
A breeding effort that started with six insects produced three generations. The Department of Conservation has put about 216 into the Ashburton Lakes on a trial release.
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A breeding line that began with six Canterbury knobbled weevils has produced enough insects for a trial in the wild. The Press reported on October 21, 2026, that Department of Conservation staff released about 216 captive-bred weevils into the Ashburton Lakes area. The founding group was four females and two males from a population found near Ōtūroto, Lake Heron, in December 2024.
The species, Hadramphus tuberculatus, was thought extinct before a population turned up at Burkes Pass in 2004. Senior science adviser Tara Murray told The Press that earlier attempts to learn the method on related weevils had been difficult, and that these insects simply produced eggs. Larvae were raised in soil around the roots of potted plants, and the program has now run through three generations.
The release is a test, not a rescue completed. Murray said the question is whether the captive-bred weevils are fit enough to live outside. Staff used a soft release, with small cages over the plants so the insects settle, and the cages come off after several weeks if the weevils are feeding. Very few remain at Burkes Pass. The Press said DOC will keep watching the released insects and is talking with Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua about possible future sites. This release does not mean the species is secure.
For the classroom
Scientists in New Zealand have been raising the rare Canterbury knobbled weevil. The Press reported on October 21, 2026, that the Department of Conservation released about 216 captive-bred weevils into the Ashburton Lakes. Breeding started with four females and two males from a population found near Lake Heron in December 2024. The insect was thought extinct until a few were found at Burkes Pass in 2004. The weevils went out under small cages on the plants they eat, so they can settle before the cages come off. The test is whether they are healthy enough to live outside. They are not saved yet.
- Why put cages over the plants for the first days?
- What is the difference between breeding insects and saving them in the wild?
- Why might a bumpy little insect be worth all this work?
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