Auckland Tree Wētā photos and video.

[Violet]

Just thought I would share afew photos of my Auckland Tree Wētā / pūtangatanga (Hemideina thoracica). I’ve had these two females for a couple of months, neither are fully mature but still pretty impressive in my opinion. The following photographs are not all from the same day.

The smaller of the two.

The big girl. This is how Wētā spend the day, tightly squeezed into a dark crevice or hole.

Here comes trouble, Wētā can be very territorial when there is no male to keep them in check. In the wild they are often found living communally. A male, several females and juveniles will share a natural cavity in a tree branch, I hope to eventually keep them like this in captivity. For now the two girls spend the day at opposite ends of the enclosure. God knows what happens at night :?

(I should note: The hollow log, hiding spot in the above photo is usually coverd with black plastic to keep it dark.)

Example of a male, poorly pinned I know. Check out the mandibles

A short handling video. She wasn't too happy about being woken up, they are usually abit calmer then this:

[YOUTUBE]JO7-sPzpnG8[/YOUTUBE]

Not cute perhaps, but definitely fascinating!

I'm in the process of rearranging the enclosure, I will post pictures when I am finished.

Questions and comments welcome

 

[Violet]

Video wont work. Anyone know how to embed a Youtube video ?

 

[cacoseraph]

very nice!

they look a bit like super giant versions of our camel crickets

 

[Terry D]

Tarantula food! I kid, I kid! Nice insects . I'd like a Kakapo.




Terry

 

[Violet]

Tarantula food! I kid, I kid! Nice insects . I'd like a Kakapo.




Terry

haha, I think you mean "Katipō" Latrodectus katipo

Kakapo are Large flightless parrots.

 

[Violet]

Video wont work. Anyone know how to embed a Youtube video ?

Sorry

Fixed it.

 

[recluse]

Nice................................

 

[zonbonzovi]

I was thinking 'meh, just another cricket' until saw pic #3: what a curious looking head! Reminds me of a WWII era gas mask. Love the habitat...do they inhabit previously hollowed wood or do they do the hollowing?

 

[Terry D]

Violet, I was very much kidding as on another thread regarding collecting CITES-listed tarantulas. I actually meant the bird. The booming is so cool. One of the rarest, if not the rarest parrot on earth now. Definitely the heaviest!

The Tree Weta are cool. Superficially resemble Jerusalem crickets with their large rounded heads. Some of these things have a long life expectancy for insects, eh? Thanks for sharing. Terry

 

[Violet]

I was thinking 'meh, just another cricket' until saw pic #3: what a curious looking head! Reminds me of a WWII era gas mask. Love the habitat...do they inhabit previously hollowed wood or do they do the hollowing?

They mainly live in naturally formed holes made my beetle larve or holes caused by wood rot. I have read they will extend these “galleries” by chewing wood, they certainly have the hardware for such renovations.

Violet, I was very much kidding as on another thread regarding collecting CITES-listed tarantulas. I actually meant the bird. The booming is so cool. One of the rarest, if not the rarest parrot on earth now. Definitely the heaviest!

The Tree Weta are cool. Superficially resemble Jerusalem crickets with their large rounded heads. Some of these things have a long life expectancy for insects, eh? Thanks for sharing. Terry

Tree Weta live for around two years, not sure about other species.