| Clipped from: Flickr Photo Download: A handful of Giant Weta |
| Clipped from: World's Heaviest Insect : Giant Weta |
World's Heaviest Insect : Giant Weta
Their physical appearance is that of a cross between a cockroach and a cricket with the addition of large legs.Wetas can be found in mountainous conditions and urban gardens by their ability to cope with wide variations in temperature. They are nocturnal as well as flightless, and have a diet consisting of leaves, insects, fungi, dead animals and fruit.| Clipped from: Weta - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
Weta
Weta is the name applied to about 70 insect species endemic to New Zealand. There are many similar species around the world, most are in the southern hemisphere. The name comes from the Māori word 'wētā' and is the same in the plural (like 'sheep'). The Māori for the Giant Weta is 'wētā punga' (lumpy or jointed weta), sometimes rendered in English as 'god of ugly things'.
Giant weta
There are 11 species of giant weta (Deinacrida spp.), most significantly larger than other weta, which are themselves large by insect standards. They are heavy insects with a body length of up to 100 mm (4 in) not inclusive of its lengthy legs and antennae, and weigh about 20-30 g. A captive giant weta (Deinacrida heteracantha) filled with eggs reached a record 70 g, making it one of the heaviest documented insects in the world [2] and heavier than a sparrow. The largest species of giant weta is the Little Barrier Island weta, also known as the wetapunga. Giant weta tend to be less social and more passive than other weta. They are classified in the genus Deinacrida, which is Greek for terrible grasshopper. They are found primarily on small islands off the coast of the main islands, and are examples of island gigantism.
| Clipped from: YouTube - NZ Giant Cave Weta |
NZ Giant Cave Weta
| Clipped from: YouTube - Weta (Super Giant Cricket) slaughter down camel spider |
Weta (Super Giant Cricket) slaughter down camel spider
Sources:
Flickr Photo Download: A handful of Giant Weta
World's Heaviest Insect : Giant Weta
Weta - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
File:Knights.weta.750pix.jpg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
YouTube - NZ Giant Cave Weta
YouTube - Weta (Super Giant Cricket) slaughter down camel spider
Related:
giant weta, an insect from new zealand - LiveVideo.com
Chapter 30: Largest | The University of Florida Book of Insect Records | Department of Entomology & Nematology | UF/IFAS
The New Zealand Weta - Home
Weta Photo Gallery
