Stef_Paul

Random thread guys...sorry about this but I have to ask...have any of you ever seen a Weta in your houses / gardens etc or out on your travels? I have discovered on in my garage this afternoon after it jumped at me...they are MASSIVE!!!!!! My bearded dragon in England could have lived off one of these guys for a month! hee hee. They are actually quite cute and I have him in a glass ready to show Paul when he gets home (it only just fit in the pint glass mind you, its body is as long as my mobile phone!). It jumped so high! Are there any other massive insects up in Auckland I need to worry about? Hee hee.

RobClubley

We get them in our garden.
Very occasionally in the house.

I find them fascinating - especially that mechanical walk they have.

Fooferfish

Only nasty insects that frequent Jafa land is Estate agents and car dealers !!

The Weta's down in deep south are nowhere near as big as that, maybe its because they live on the hot volcanic soil of Jafa land ha ha

Or live off the posh food scraps in Ponsonby

Kiwiprincess

I have instructions on how to build a weta hotel...

If I can find a copy of the instructions which don't have copyright I will post them here. Otherwise, if you wanted to build a hotel let me know and I could email/post them to you. A weta hotel is basically a piece of wood with clear perspex attached to it. When the weta's are in the wood you can peek in on them

kiwinow

When we lived in Ak my neighbour had a huge one come in her window and she came round to get me to help. The amusing thing was that she was off to be a missionary in some primitive place. Not a good start. We caught it eventually under a huge glass and let it go outside. I certainly couldn't stomach squashing it. They are quite lovely in an ugly sort of way.

Kiwiprincess

Yep. Lovely in the sense that after a nuclear war, it will be cockroaches and weta which survive!

Incidentally, I agee. They are quite cool.

RobClubley

I'm 99% sure they are all protected as well so squishing one is probably illegal or something.

kiwinow

I've lived here for thirty plus years and never knew that, but in any case....who would be brave enough?

lyndanchris

Hi all,

Excuse the ignorance, but, what is a weta??

teebrown

Thank you a question i too was thinking.

scrubbedexpat094

I feel a "Cue Mr Clubley photo opportunity" coming on

You'll be sorry you asked

RobClubley

Your wish is my comand

These little cuties!









And in certain remote islands there are giant ones!

RobClubley

Forgot to say - they are harmless - they will give you a nip if you upset them but they eat rotting vegetation and are not venomous.

lyndanchris

Thanks Rob, that would have been my next question!!!! They look nasty LOL!!!

Kimi-Deacon

OMG Please dont let the cat bring one of those in i will die, especially if the little buggers can jump, dont mind the mice but don't do creepies yuuuuuk to make it worse at the back of the house is a valley full of bush so i just keep waiting to see what hes going to come dragging through the cat flap