The Weta are an endemic insect of New Zealand.

Being insects they all have 6 legs, a head, a thorax and an abdomen. Weta look very much like big strong grasshoppers or crickets with long antennae. Their body is protected by a shiny blackish-brown exoskeleton but male weta have larger heads than females and more fearsome looking jaws.

Weta are only found in NZ so they’re endemic to NZ. But anyway Weta usually live on grasslands, in forests, in caves, under rocks, in logs and in trees and many more places.

Weta are nocturnal, and all New Zealand species have different diets. Most Weta are predators or omnivores preying on other invertebrates, but the tree and giant weta eat mostly lichens, leaves, flowers, seeds-heads and fruit.

In Spring or Summer the weta mate. Tree weta males may have a group of females sharing a hole. The male has to fight off other males with his jaws and spiked legs. In Autumn the females lay their eggs in the ground 6-10 at a time, then the eggs hatch in Spring.

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