Afternoons

Iolanthe cicadas are one of our smallest cicada species, found in the North Island from the Coromandel Peninsula to Wellington. This species has become extremely rare in the wild and there are very few modern sightings or recordings. Males have a very high-pitched song used for calling females. Because of the high frequency of the song, some adults may not be able to hear the call at all. Due to its lack of sightings, its threat status is unknown. However, its rarity is worrying, especially with no information on their ecology and population density. Nicola Toki chats all things critters with Jesse.

Landscape designer Tony Murrell is with Jesse to discuss what you should plant if you're looking to pay tribute to or remember somebody special to you. His suggestions are: Jacaranda mimosifolia flowering late spring early summer. Prunus mountain haze or awanui good for small gardens soft pink flowers. Metrosiderous excelsa , moon maiden [yellow flower] or scarlett pimpernel [ smaller growing coastal sport form red flowering late December through January] and Mistral upright Rata Sport named after the French wind. Ficus nitida – well behaved tidy evergreen tree with a large dense canopy of verdant green. Acer Palmatum – Japanese maple , sculptural form beautiful dappled shade. Quercus suber – Cork oak – majestic and rustic evergreen cork bark oak. Olea europea Olive – sculptural spiritual Trees , fruiting in summer. Cedrus atlantica glauca or Lebanii – ‘The bearing of the Cedars’ Pinus thumbergii – Japanese black pines. Knightea excelsa – NZ Native honeysuckle. Liquidamber gumball – 3/3 m mound shaped. Cunnonia capensis South African butter knife bush evergreen flowering interesting foliage. Vitex lucens – NZ Native Puriri. Cercis forest Pansy. Lagerstromia indica , flowering in pink , red ,white and mauve. Podocarpus totara matapouri blue – NZ Native blue totara – can be purchased in cloud pruned shapes fabulous sculptural forms that can work amongst grass gardens and more formal designs. Cussonia spicata – African cabbage Tree – ELEPHANTS favorite dinner. Erythrina christa Gallii – Coral flower Tree.

Julie Biuso from Shared Kitchen shares her recipe for Hummingbird cake. One story behind this cake goes that it is sweet enough to attract and delight a hummingbird. It's easier to make a two-tiered cake rather than the usual three, and most home cooks are unlikely to own three matching cake tins. The sponges are oil-based and have a light texture. It's one of those lovely cake batters that doesn't call for butter, sugar, and eggs to be creamed, but like muffin batters, don't beat it - just mix the ingredients gently together.

Afternoons critic Kate Rodger is here to share what's on at the cinema: No Tears on the Field If I Had Legs I'd Kick You

It's the home for your spooky stories and eerie coincidences. If you have an experience to share get in touch on 2101 or email me at jesse@rnz.co.nz and one of our producers might give you a call. Today we're speaking to Christine, who listens to the show from New Jersey in the USA.

Emma Watkins, is one of Australia - and New Zealand's - most beloved children's entertainers. Known for her time as the iconic 'Yellow Wiggle' she's continued to captivate kids of all ages with her character, Emma Memma. She's back in New Zealand and joins Jesse to explain why.

Depending on the conditions he swims two six-hour stints a day, five days in a row, before taking a rest day. He's attempting to break the world record for the longest unassisted staged swim, all to raise awareness for ocean health and call for an end to bottom trawling, one of the most destructive fishing practices still allowed in New Zealand waters He's teamed up with Peter Burling and Blair Tuke's marine conservation charity, Live Ocean, to deliver a petition to Parliament and is now just 111 kilometres from Wellington.

Humans may have more in common with animals than we thought, especially when it comes to attraction. New research suggests we're drawn to the same mating calls as other species supporting Darwin's observation that animals share our "taste for the beautiful." Dr Sam Mehr from the University of Auckland and Yale University is the senior author of this new study, he joins Jesse.

'Project Hail Mary' - the new Hollywood blockbuster starting Ryan Gosling, has a New Zealand connection. One of the film's most pivotal scenes includes a recording of the classic Waiata 'Po Atarau'. The version in the film was recorded in 1976 by the Turakina Girls' College choir Ex-student, and former principal of the school - which closed in 2015 - Terehia Channings is with Jesse.a

Data from Stats NZ shows that trust in our public health system has been falling for well over a decade. 35 percent of New Zealand adults invest in health insurance, many of you citing long waits and unreliability of the public system as the reason why. In a new paper published in the New Zealand Medical Journal, Dr Erik Monasterio examines whether we are rapidly moving towards the privatisation of health care. He discusses with Jesse.

Even in an enchanted tree where fairies and men with faces like the moon live, someone has to do the laundry. And in a film adaptation of the classic Enid Blyton book, The Magic Faraway Tree, that job falls to actress Jessica Gunning. She is Dame Washalot who, does a lot of laundry, carelessly tossing buckets of sudsy water down the tree, sometimes drenching children who discover the magic world in the branches. Jessica Gunning captured acting magic in 2024, staring in the hit series Baby Reindeer and wining just about every award going. She joins a stellar cast including Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy. The Magic Faraway Tree is in theaters now.

Dr Grant Morris chats to Jesse about carless days, CNG and lower speed limits - driving in NZ in 1979 - truths vs myths. The 2026 Iran War has resulted in surging fuel prices. Many Kiwis of a certain age remember the carless days of 1979 but this is only one example of the many measures used at the time.

Every second Thursday we like to try to solve some of the world's problems, today we're turning our attention to trees or more specifically why they're disappearing from the city of Auckland. Landscape Architect Mark Lockhart is passionate about trees and joins Jesse to explain why we should be trying to protect them.

Time for NZ Sporting History, where we reminisce about the great sporting events and moments of the past. Today though we're leaving the field and heading to the commentator's box with Grant Nisbett. In his 40-year career Grant's called over 350 All Blacks test matches, and he's still going strong. Hence his nickname, 'the voice of rugby'. Grant's with Jesse now to look at some highlights from his incredible career.

Thursdays means it's time for group chat where we talk about the news that doesn't make the bulletins but might be all over your social media feeds. Joining Jesse is Kate Rodger, Culture 101's Perlina Lau and Afternoons' Senior Producer Olivia Wilson.

Our next story is especially pertinent today as much of the country gets lashed by wild weather. Researchers warn New Zealand is stuck in what they call "disaster inertia" - failing to learn lessons from repeated extreme weather events To discuss Jesse is joined by Judy Lawrence, Adjunct Professor at the Victoria University School of School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences

Quantum physics - it's a heavy topic for a Thursday afternoon, but stay with us, because what if quantum physics could help you charge your mobile phone or other devices in super quickly? Using quantum physics, our next guest has just helped develop the world's first quantum battery prototype. Dr James Quach is a Science Leader at Australia's national science agency, where he leads the Quantum Batteries Team.

As the conflict in the Middle East continues, so does our pain at the pump. Earlier this week the government announced a fuel relief package, giving an extra $50 per week for New Zealanders who qualify. But is subsidising private cars and fossil fuels the smartest approach? And are there other levers we could be pulling? Dr Timothy Welch, an urban planning researcher at the University of Auckland chats to Jesse.

PayWave and card surcharges are back in the news today. Those are the fees you pay when you choose not to put your card into the EFTPOS terminal. Today the ACT party said that the Government's proposed ban on surcharges is dead, however Commerce & Consumer Affairs Minister, National's Scott Simpson, has said he's hopeful the ban will be in place by May. So here to help us work out what's going on, and how the surcharges actually work, Jesse is joined by Professor Claire Matthews. Claire is the head of Massey University's School of Accountancy, Economics & Finance.

It's Wednesday which means a chance to talk food. Kelly Gibney is away but we're stoked to have Dish Magazine's Chief Executive and Editor Sarah Tuck with Jesse and she's going to share a recipe that evokes comfort.