The Fascinating World of Wetas: The Heaviest Confirmed Insects on Earth
Summary
In this article, we explore the world of wetas, the heaviest confirmed insects on Earth. We learn about the different types of wetas, their behavior, and what keeps them from growing to human size.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- The World of Wetas
- The Tree Weta: A Fierce Fighter
- Why Wetas Can’t Grow to Human Size
- Conclusion
Introduction
Have you ever heard of wetas? These fascinating creatures are the heaviest confirmed insects on Earth, and they live exclusively in New Zealand. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the world of wetas and learn about their behavior and what keeps them from growing to human size.
The World of Wetas
Wetas are a type of insect that live exclusively in New Zealand. There are several different types of wetas, but the largest among them is the weta that can weigh up to 70 grams. Despite their size, wetas are generally peaceful creatures and are about the size of a gerbil. However, there is one type of weta that is known for its fierce fighting abilities: the tree weta.
The Tree Weta: A Fierce Fighter
The tree weta is a type of weta that is known for its aggressive behavior. Only male tree wetas have enormous mouthparts known as mandibles, which they use to fight for females. These fights can be brutal, with the losing weta often losing limbs in the process. Despite their aggressive behavior, tree wetas are still relatively small compared to humans.
Why Wetas Can’t Grow to Human Size
One might wonder why wetas can’t grow to human size. The answer lies in their respiratory system. Unlike humans, wetas don’t have lungs. Instead, they have holes all over their exoskeleton that deliver oxygen to their tissues. As air makes its way through the animal, more and more oxygen gets dissolved, so the tissues at the center might get short-changed. If wetas were to grow too big, they might not be able to breathe. Wetas have only been able to grow to their current size because they gave up flight. Since they don’t have to worry about being eaten by mammals in New Zealand, they don’t need to fly away from danger.
Conclusion
Wetas are fascinating creatures that have adapted to their environment in unique ways. Despite their size, wetas are generally peaceful creatures, except for the tree weta, which is known for its aggressive behavior. Wetas can’t grow to human size because of their respiratory system, but they were able to grow much larger in the past when there was more oxygen in the Earth’s atmosphere.
