L'Archiduchess as an aside in a posting What's the etymology of the phrase 'to levy taxes'? asked whether it was true that there are no snakes in New Zealand and that there is an insect as large as a hand.
There are no snakes in New Zealand. In fact, unlike Australia where almost everything is a threat to life or its enjoyment, there are almost no insects, reptiles nor animals that are deadly in this country.
However we do have a huge insect with a body about 10 cm long and a leg span of 20 cm. It is called a Giant Weta and it is big by insect standards with a maximum recorded weight of 71 grams - the weight of a song thrush. It's a docile creature and it's only defence is its tough exoskeleton. This was sufficient defence against indigenous potential predators such as morepork, harriers, kingfishers and tuatara. However it has meant that it has become the prey of many introduced manals and rodents.
(Photo: Richard Sharell.)
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Now that's what I call a beetle!!
ReplyDeletelooks a mixture of grasshopper and shrimp. nice that someone has bothered to take a photo, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThe insect is a Giant Weta. They are as big as a hand. They can weigh 70 grams (about as much as a Song Thrush). I've never seen one alive. If I do I don't want it to be in my bedroom!
ReplyDeletedoes this mean that the photo is of a dead bug, and if so I take my last comment back.
I did not know that NZ does not have harmful critters. I know that Australia does! When Lyndsey lived there for a couple of months, she encountered several!
ReplyDeleteAh Jeez! Really, they're too big to squish, right? How are they on the bar-b?
ReplyDeleteThey share the order of orthoptera with crickets and locusts and grasshoppers rather than beetles.
ReplyDeleteThe photo was of a live bug but not in this part of NZ. That one only lives on Great Barrier Island.
I think, Shabby Girl, that they used to be eaten (probably on the predecessor of the BBQ!) not just by introduced mammals of the four legged variety. After all locusts and crickets are eaten fried so why not? Just don't ask me to try one (or a fried locust either thanks!).
Yuck, me neither. Anything that looks that scarey wouldn't taste good. But...on the other hand...crabs and crayfish aren't exactly pretty!
ReplyDeleteAnd I always thought the morepork was something Terry Pratchett invented!
ReplyDelete