In this episode of In Situ Science we travel to New Zealand to spend some time with a research group from the University of Auckland that specialise in studying the behaviour and evolution of insects, spiders and harvestmen. This research group is currently working towards understanding the evolution of animal weapons.

The lab’s leader Dr Greg Holwell introduces us to spiders and harvestmen with enormous and exaggerated jaws that the males use for fighting. We also meet the world’s longest weevil, the New Zealand Giraffe weevil (Lasiorhynchus barbicornis). Male giraffe weevils use their enormous rostrum to fight for access to females, whereas the females use their long rostrum like a drill to dig into tree trunks and make small holes where they can lay their eggs.

Find out more at www.gregholwell.com and www.chrissiepainting.com

Music: ‘Zest’ by Basematic is used under a creative commons license.

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