Perhaps more than any human on earth, Ruud Kleinpaste knows what it's like to be a bug. Studying the world of insects has become his life's work and passion. He has written books and countless columns, appeared on radio and television shows, researched tirelessly and put his own body to the test to report on the important role bugs play in the world. Animal Planet's series, BUGGIN' WITH RUUD, is a dream come true for Kleinpaste, as he ventures to entertain and educate millions of viewers about bugs large and small.
Born in Indonesia, Ruud moved with his Dutch parents to Holland at a very young age. He later enrolled in Wageningen University, where he earned a master of science honors degree in silviculture, animal ecology and conservation, and discovered his true passion — bugs. Ruud got the bug for bugs in college and his life has been dedicated to entomology, i.e., the study of insects, ever since.
In 1978, Ruud relocated to New Zealand and was appointed scientific adviser for the Nature Conservation Council in Wellington, before joining the department of scientific research in the entomology division at the Mt. Albert Research Center. He later joined the New Zealand Forest Service for an 18-month project to study the ecology of the brown kiwi in Waitangi State Forest. From 1982 to 1996, Ruud worked as an entomologist with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in Auckland, New Zealand, and tackled a huge array of subjects, including aircraft disinfection research, pest identification and control, and biosecurity issues.
Dissatisfied with the public's overall perception of his beloved bugs, Ruud became a media advocate. His "Bugman" persona was born in 1987 on a local radio talk show called Ruud's Awakening, which quickly became a top-rated series that has continued over the past 18 years. Ruud is also a published columnist, writing in newspapers and magazines, including the Auckland Star, New Zealand Listener, Your Home & Garden, Growing Today and many others. Ruud's first book, "Scratching for a Living," was published in 1997.
Since 1990, television has been a big part of the Bugman's life. Ruud worked on TV3 New Zealand's EarlyBird Show, a children's show called What Now?, and the New Zealand Today Show. He narrated a four-part docudrama entitled The Enduring Land, based on the history of farming in New Zealand. He's a featured contributor to Maggie's Garden Show, an assignment that has taken him around New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific, and even back to the Netherlands. More recently, he has regularly contributed segments for Good Morning and Ground Rules (TVNZ), and produced a documentary called The Bughouse, which aired on New Zealand's TV ONE.
Ruud has lectured at UNITEC for 12 years on plant protection, encouraging commonsense growing practices among the future horticulturists of New Zealand. He also acts as a consultant to a number of New Zealand and Australian government departments, and advises international companies on a wide range of ecological and entomological matters. As a research scientist he has worked with international airlines, the World Health Organization and biosecurity agencies in numerous countries around the globe. Ruud is a trustee of Project Crimson, the Little Barrier Island Supporters Trust and Bank of New Zealand Kiwi Recovery Trust, as well as patron of Keep New Zealand Beautiful. He also served on Auckland's Zoo Enterprise Board from 1989 to 1998.
Ruud lives in Auckland with his wife Julie and son Tristan.
