The Weta - Photo Gallery Story  Picture  Resources   Cave Weta  Ground Weta  Giant Weta  Tree Weta  Tusked Weta   One of the largest of the world's insects is the New Zealand Weta. Wetas are fairly common and wander into people's houses.  If they don't wander in by accident, the family cat will oblige. Wetas are more often seen at night - or they are if you carry a torch around the garden and look for them. Wetas like living in the wood pile, because normally they live in holes excavated in trees. Here we see a weta climbing to the top of a log at sunset, ready to forage for - most things. They are omnivorous, but prefer other insects to fruit. In captivity they like carrot. The common tree weta is not a great hunter, but there are many weta species and the rarely seen ground wetas jump onto other insects. The common tree weta does not want to enter houses and does not jump on people, in fact he has no interest in attacking people at all. Any insects he catches are usually dead or sick. Ground wetas are small, so don't panic if you see a big weta.

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