Insects popularly known in New Zealand by their Maori name of ‘weta’ belong to the Order Orthoptera and in classification fall into the two families Henicidae Karny, 1937, and Rhaphidophoridae Kirby, 1883. The former family includes all those forms generally referred to as tree or ground wetas which, according to Maori legend, are really the ‘true’ wetas. These are the ‘Taipos’ of the West Coast of the South Island: ‘taipo’, which comes from the Maori, means ‘the devil who comes by night’, and is really a highly descriptive term for the bush-weta. The Rhaphidophoridae includes those insects generally referred to as ‘cave wetas’ though many of their species are also free-living in the forests and are often found on trees.

Many of the species of Henicidae in New Zealand are very large formidable-looking insects; they are, in fact, among the largest insects in the world. In spite of their rather terrifying appearance they are, however, retiring insects which largely hide by day and come out to feed at night. They are seldom aggressive and will only bite with their mandibles if seriously molested, and though the bite from a medium-size weta may be painful only the larger specimens can puncture the skin and draw blood. Normally, when disturbed, these insects tend to run away, seldom showing fight. They run somewhat clumsily but fairly rapidly, seeking out new shelter. Their normal means of defence consists in raising the hind legs high above the abdomen, then drawing them suddenly downwards and backwards so that the large sharp spines on the tibiae can be brought to bear against the attacker. This vigorous raising and lowering of the hind legs produces at the same time a shrill rasping sound from the sounding organ. The overall effect can be quite frightening and is generally sufficient to deter another animal, such as a cat, dog or bird, from an immediate attack upon the insect, which uses this opportunity to make a rapid get-away. A scratch inflicted by the tibial spines of a weta can be quite dangerous due to infection from decaying material amongst which the insect may have been moving.

In handling wetas, to avoid as fas [sic] as possible being scratched by the hind legs, the insect should be grasped firmly by the thorax, just behind the head, when the hand will be well out of harm's way.

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The large wetas belonging to the genera Deinacrida and Hemideina seldom jump, but the smaller species of Hemiandrus and Zealandosandrus jump vigorously and will often travel considerable distances in one leap.

The species of Hemideina inhabit foliage and burrow in decaying trunks and branches of trees or in fallen logs, while those of Deinacrida occur amongst foliage or amongst stones, often on high mountains. Hemiandrus species are usually found inhabiting small burrows in soft banks and occasionally fallen logs, whereas Zealandosandrus species are nearly always found in association with fallen trees and logs or in burrows in the earth under stones on mountain-sides.

Super Family Gryllacridoidea