Giant Weta

• Ground weta
Ground weta are classified in the genus Hemiandrus. There are about 40 species of ground weta in New Zealand and several very similar ones in Australia. They are also very like the Californian Cnemotettix—a similarity perhaps due to their very similar habits and habitat. Most of the Hemiandrus have not been described. They hide in burrows in the ground during the day and those that live in open ground (e.g., H. focalis) conceal the exit hole with a specially made perforated door. During the night ground weta hunt invertebrate prey and eat fruit.
• Cave weta
The 60 species of cave weta have extra-long antennae, and may have long, slender legs and a passive demeanour. Although they have no hearing organs on their front legs like species of Hemideina and Deinacrida some (e.g., Talitropsis spp.) are very sensitive to ground vibrations sensed through pads on their feet. Specialised hairs on the cerci and organs on the antennae are also sensitive to low frequency vibrations in the air. Cave weta may be active within the confines of their caves during the daytime, and those individuals close to cave entrances venture outside at night. But most species are forest dwellers and a few are to be found in the high alpine screes living among the broken rock that are covered with snow up to six months of the year. New Zealand species are classified in several genera in subfamily Macropathinae of family Rhaphidophoridae, and are very distant cousins of the other types of weta.