#stenoperla

They also come in gold, apparently.

Another unexpected find inside the house - all four species in the genus are endemic to New Zealand, but despite the vivid colour I'm unsure which one this is. I wasn't even sure what Order it was from - this is the first time i've seen a stonefly. Like others in their family (found in Australia, New Zealand, and Chile) Stenoperla nymphs are aquatic and carnivorous, and take two or three years to reach adulthood, but like most other Plecoptera families are intolerant of water pollution.

Stoneflies are one of the oldest insect groups that can fold their wings - close relatives are known from the Carboniferous and Lower Permian. A few wingless species might be the only insects that are fully aquatic from hatching until death.