Wetta crickets
- Thread starter Frédérick
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chuckpowell
Arachnopeon
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Has anyone seen them outside of New Zealand?
Best,
Chuck
Best,
Chuck
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No, and no. Though these guys would be really cool to keep. I saw on some animal planet show that they have a biological antifreeze in their hemolymph; they can be frozen solid and survive when thawed out.
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I saw that too! That's pretty amazing. 
We have Jerusalem crickets though which are a close relative.
We have Jerusalem crickets though which are a close relative.
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One of the few insects that are really rapidly decreasing in numbers, its probably best they stay in the wild. Also heard that a kick from one can be very very painful.
they rate as of the heaviest insects in the world...challenging even a Megasoma Acteon, or Goliathus.
yep..and they can bite hard, too!
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These has been available in the UK, offered in a couple of online shops, and on forums, the species Hemideina crassidens, they'll probably be available again next year.
Woah! Wish we could have some here in Canada! I like how they live in the trees trunk and being opportunistic...How much were they in UK, if you remember?
Ted, you say it's challenging the Goliath in terms of weight? awesome!
Hope they stop dying this much tho
Fred
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How come DrAce hasn't said something here yet? He's the only ABer I know of from New Zealand.
yeah!..i think you know this, but in case anyone isnt sure, i was referring to the largest/heaviest beetles in the world.Frédérick said:
last i recall, the Weta is right up there.
I need to go back and research that to see how close they are to the top.
just went and looked it up..
here's a pretty cool tidbit.
however..the whole page needs to be read for a good undersdtanding as to how the stats are collected and under what stipulations these records are determined.
The largest living insect species, by virtue of having the greatest visible body mass and probably weight, are the giant scarabs, Goliathus goliatus, Goliathus regius, Megasoma elephas, Megasoma actaeon, and the immense cerambycid, Titanus giganteus. No clear winner can be declared on the basis of objective data, the candidates being nearly equal in this regard, but a visual comparison of all of them, side by side and scaled to maximum known size, may convince one otherwise. The heaviest weight reliably reported for any insect is 71 grams for the protected giant weta, Deinacrida heteracantha, of New Zealand.
here's a pretty cool tidbit.
however..the whole page needs to be read for a good undersdtanding as to how the stats are collected and under what stipulations these records are determined.
The largest living insect species, by virtue of having the greatest visible body mass and probably weight, are the giant scarabs, Goliathus goliatus, Goliathus regius, Megasoma elephas, Megasoma actaeon, and the immense cerambycid, Titanus giganteus. No clear winner can be declared on the basis of objective data, the candidates being nearly equal in this regard, but a visual comparison of all of them, side by side and scaled to maximum known size, may convince one otherwise. The heaviest weight reliably reported for any insect is 71 grams for the protected giant weta, Deinacrida heteracantha, of New Zealand.
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I cant remember the price exactly, I think it was something like £12-15 each though.Woah! Wish we could have some here in Canada! I like how they live in the trees trunk and being opportunistic...How much were they in UK, if you remember?
Ted, you say it's challenging the Goliath in terms of weight? awesome!
Hope they stop dying this much tho
Fred
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that's dirt cheap for something that's endanger and rare. i wish that i was there and got some.
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As I recall, that species is very small and breeds in captivity, so it's not exactly one of the weta people talk about in hushed tones. Still a really, really neat-looking cricket.
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Captive breeding should only be a last ditch attempt to save a species. Wild populations must be protected for long term survival to have a good chance. But if the wettas are locally abundant I could understand breeding them for potential reintroduction projects.
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Wetas
Hello ALl,
H crassidens, is a weta that is widely spread in New Zealand and is one specie that you don't need permits to collect, as it is also found in cities and towns.
I have seen a few specimens being kept at an Insect Zoo.
They were small compare to the other protected ones and look like Jerusalem Crickets.
They were fed on Coprosma repens (Mirrow Plant) I think it is available here in the States, so if anyone gets some and rear them please let us know as they are very interesting insects.
Currently there are several breeding programs going on in New Zealands main Zoo for the other rarer ones.
regards
ft
Hello ALl,
H crassidens, is a weta that is widely spread in New Zealand and is one specie that you don't need permits to collect, as it is also found in cities and towns.
I have seen a few specimens being kept at an Insect Zoo.
They were small compare to the other protected ones and look like Jerusalem Crickets.
They were fed on Coprosma repens (Mirrow Plant) I think it is available here in the States, so if anyone gets some and rear them please let us know as they are very interesting insects.
Currently there are several breeding programs going on in New Zealands main Zoo for the other rarer ones.
regards
ft
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I lived in Auckland for a few years, the auckland tree weta is quite common and in the average garden you will see one or two if you go out with a torch, they get bigger than you'd imagine.
The giant weta (Deincarida heteracantha) which lives only on little barrier island is probably safer than it was a few years ago as the dept of conservation has started the program to eradicate the polynesian rat from there, these rats have decimated weta populations but apparently the numbers are already rising again (personal comm.).
The giant weta (Deincarida heteracantha) which lives only on little barrier island is probably safer than it was a few years ago as the dept of conservation has started the program to eradicate the polynesian rat from there, these rats have decimated weta populations but apparently the numbers are already rising again (personal comm.).