Giant weta as a food source for tarantulas?

[gumby]

Okay first off I know tarantulas are not the worlds biggest insect all spiders are part of a group called arachnids. insects have 3 main body parts and 6 legs. arachnids have 2 main body parts and 8 legs. Also from what I understand New Zealand has no large(from what I can tell there are no spiders with a body larger then 4-5 CM) spiders within its boarders. So here are a few questions I have regarding the insect known as the giant weta or wetapunga to the Maori, and as Deinacrida heteracantha to scientists http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_new...ggest-bug-that-depends?chromedomain=worldblog :

1. Do you think a large Australian tarantula could over power and eat a weta without sustaining significant injury?
2. Do you think a T. blondie could or Poecilotheria or another type of tarantula not native to that part of the world could take down a Weta without significant injury?
3. Do you think the only reason this bug has evolved to become this large is because New Zealand has a lack of large natural predators like tarantulas?

I know the weta is an insect and there is another section of the forum for insects but I wanted to see what people thought of them when related to our tarantulas. When ever I see anything that resembles a cricket my brain thinks could my tarantulas eat that? then it thinks should my tarantulas eat that? Personally one look at the weta makes me think it would injure any tarantula that tried to eat it.

 

[Danielson]

Holy moley! i seen 1 of these in the news couple days ago i thought it was some turbo charged cricket! thanks for letting me know this insects name

 

[goodoldneon]

Geek trivia - Weta Studio, the FX company responsible for pretty much all the sets, costumes and CGI utilized in the Lord of the Rings trilogy - among other movies, got its name from the weta referenced above.

**pushes glasses up**

Edit - as for whether or not they'd make a suitable T meal - I don't know - but its military-grade exo-skeleton looks as though it could take a direct hit from a .22 - after which it would walk away, just sort of laughing at you.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

1. possibly but you would need to show us a size to size comparison of the Giant Weta .. Aussie goliath gets 8"+ supposably ive never seen one ... Australian Ts have strong venom also...
Dude this is a HUGE cricket?? Couldnt it just jump away... I dont know if the spider would waste its time chasing it...
if a tarantula bites its head... it is Victorious !!!! hurray !!!

2. A Goliath birdeater could kill it, so could Large female Poecilotheria due to there large size / strong venom... Tarantulas are very strong, aboreals would have a harder time holding onto large prey
you are aware Lasiodora parahybana(kills Fer de lance vipers) T blondie & other large spiders can kill snakes right? P Ornata gets 8-10" ( with rumors rare 11" individuals)
3. Higher oxygen levels possibly could help make the Giant Weta bigger are there forests in austrialia? A big food source also makes big bugs

 

[Javanica]

Wetas are endemic to New Zealand, and I believe the "Giant Wetas" are only found on some of the smaller offshore islands off the main two. Introduced rats likely have led to their decline on the main islands (North and South Island). So no wetas in Australia, although I am sure they have some large Orthopterans there also....

Oh yeah, most of the giant species are protected......

 

[Transient]

+1 Giant Wetas are endangered, I thought. I also have no idea why you would even want to feed one to a T.

 

[Bigboy]

It would be a terrible waste of a hard to find insect and as adults a dangerous prey item for any tarantula. I'd stick to the other options.

 

[Londoner]

Here's a link to an article with a pic of a Giant Weta eating a carrot whilst sitting on someone's hand:
http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/883547-bugs-bunny-insect-is-biggest-in-the-world

I agree totally with Bigboy's comment.

 

[gumby]

I'm not saying we should go buy giant wetas and raise them up as feeders I'm just asking the question could a tarantula take one down without to much injury to itself. I agree that a weta would be much faster if it knew a. Was near by and ready to jump. But I think a pokie might have a great chance at ambushing one. Also I don't think new world Ts like a T. Blondi would be able to take one down without life endin injury because of the dagers on the back legs of the weta.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

you'd be better off keeping the Weta as a pet... they look very cool !!
roaches are best left as tarantula good..
id keep a giant weta as a Pet if I could get a hold of one... Goliath birdeater would kill it man they can get 12" with 2 inch fangs & weight a quarter pound.. might get a little injured though

 

[Texas T]

It would be a terrible waste of a hard to find insect and as adults a dangerous prey item for any tarantula. I'd stick to the other options.

When I first heard about the Giant Weta. I looked it up on you tube. I saw the weta go through a Camel Spider pretty easy. I know the Camel spider is not a T but I wouldn't take a chance with any T getting harmed.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RF868pCjrI

 

[Necromion]

Also I don't think new world Ts like a T. Blondi would be able to take one down without life endin injury because of the dagers on the back legs of the weta.

I think you just answered your question on this one. Those spurs on the back legs are a very effective means of diffense (been kicked by a few locusts when I was out west).Also what about the possiblity that the T could break its fang on the exoskeleton, I know hissers aren't recommended as feeders for this exact reason.

 

[Hornets inverts]

@Ultum, of course we have forests, everything from dry gum tree forests to lush tropical rainforest.

As said australia doesnt have weta's but we do have closely related species, commonly called "king crickets" over here that do get massive. King crickets have been known to kill and eat funnelweb spiders although a large t would be a very formidable opponent.

 

[a3overlord]

with 2 inch fangs & weight a quarter pound...

References?

 

[Sarcastro]

When I first heard about the Giant Weta. I looked it up on you tube. I saw the weta go through a Camel Spider pretty easy. I know the Camel spider is not a T but I wouldn't take a chance with any T getting harmed.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RF868pCjrI

The weta in the video is just a weta. A giant weta gets 3x that size...about 6" and weighing in at about a 1/4 lb and there mandibles put bird eater fangs too shame

to bad their endangered..or I would totally want one.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

The weta in the video is just a weta. A giant weta gets 3x that size...about 6" and weighing in at about a 1/4 lb and there mandibles put bird eater fangs too shame

to bad their endangered..or I would totally want one.

thats one bug.. I think a tarantula or scorpion would say... F this & run away lol!!!! if very hungry they are preditors & could fataly wound the Weta by attacking its head.
that Weta would be a big loss.... ID rather let it live.. then risk it hurting my spiders... Would you lose a favorite pet?? for to see a big cricket injure it?? I wouldnt
Im sure a Goliath or Lasiodora parahybana are such hungy spiders they would crush its head & eat it... dont forget how strong tarantulas are...
Fer De-Lance vipers are chew toys for these spiders....=/
that said.... a 6" Giant Weta is still the same length as a Emporer scorpion... my Male EMp is 7" counting claws
H swammerdami / P Imporator would probably kill the Weta they are bult like Tanks!!! WOuld I wana see a Giant Weta die??? no... they would be a good pet

without a 1 to 1 1:1 comparison I cant say a real winner.... a 8" weta could probably win... those backlegs could probably kill a tarantula... but not a scorpion

 

[1hughjazzspider]

References?

I hope you weren't really expecting an answer when you posted this....

 

[a3overlord]

I hope you weren't really expecting an answer when you posted this....

lol actually, no I wasn't

 

[1hughjazzspider]

lol actually, no I wasn't

Smart man.