Weta Report Term 3

WALT: This is a piece of writing that we did for our minibeasts topic when we were learning about weta. We had to write an information report on this insect.

Click here to see my success citeria 



The physical features of a weta

Weta are insects that are native to New Zealand. The biggest type of weta is the giant weta. The giant weta is the world's heaviest reported insect. Any type of Weta have ears on their front legs near their turi (knees). It helps them listen for smaller insects to eat.  The giant weta can grow up to 10 cm long and other weta are a little bit smaller. A weta has it’s spine on the outside of it’s flesh and it’s called an exoskeleton. The exoskeleton is there so that the weta can breath through it. These weta might not look helpful but they help us humans survive. Most wetas are omnivores or predators. Weta could survive if nuinga(lots) of people die out but if weta and other insects die out nuinga(lots) of people wouldn’t be able to survive.

A Wetas Habitat and Location

There are different types of weta and each different type of weta kaiao (live) in different places. The tree weta live in rotten logs, in hollow planks and in the forest in trees. The cave weta lives in caves near the seaside. The tusked weta lives on the ground since it can kaiao in extreme weather. The Giant weta lives in alpine trees and rocks where the Australian plate and Taitonga (South) Island plate meet AKA the alpine fault line. If you found a weta, it’s most likely to be a tree weta.

What Do Weta Eat

Every type of weta eats something different. The tree and giant weta mostly eat lichens, leaves, flowers, seed-heads and fruits. Most other types of weta like the cave weta and tusked weta eat grass and carrots if they’re just nohu tu (sitting) around. If you found a weta and it was eating a kopura (seed) it will be feeding time.

When Do Weta Breed

When do weta lay their eggs? The weta do not look after their young. They just leave and they have to start their lives by themselves. It’s not likely for you to see a weta egg because the weta lay their eggs at night and in the ground. A weta will breed in the Aroaromahana (Spring) or in the Arawheu (Summer). Weta breed at night because they’re nocturnal.



Are Weta Social
Do weta live on there own or in groups? The giant weta seems to be less social than all the other weta like the tree weta, cave weta and the ground weta. Only the tree weta sometimes live in small groups but every other type of weta live on their own. Sometimes the Taurawhi (male) weta fight for the Uwha (females). Most weta live on their own except during breeding season.

Weta Threats

What are the weta threats? The weta threats were just birds and tuatara. Humans have introduced the ngeru (cats), hedgehogs, Kiore (rats), weka, kiwi and mustelids (mustelids are like little stoats). Weta look after themselves by eating food, living in their habitat and breeding. Humans have impacted on weta by destroying their homes, and that means they can’t breed or eat so they will just die out and become extinct. We need to protect weta habitats so they can survive.

All My Information
This is all of my information that I've learnt about weta. Thank you for reading my work and I hope that you have learnt something.                     
                                   By Luken