Dec 2, 2011
Would you rather deal with rats or the world’s biggest insect?
From The Telegraph…
Adventurer Mark Moffett has found the world’s biggest insect – which is so huge it can eat carrots.…
The creepy crawly is only found on Little Barrier Island, in New Zealand. The species was wiped off the mainland by rats accidentally introduced by Europeans.
Would you say the ridding of these bugs by rats was a good thing? Or would you rather have the brobdingnagian bugs around and have no rats?
* * * * *
I wonder how fast this bug is.
I’ve seen a Madagascar hissing cockroach. They’re huge, but they move very slowly.
I’m gonna go with neither one. yeah, neither the rats NOR the crazybig-carrot-eating freak grasshopper thingie.
Im with you
This is also the inspiration for Weta Workshop’s name. The company behind the special effects, costumes and armor in Lord of the Rings.
As disgusting and freaky-looking at that insect is, it doesn’t carry bubonic plague, so it wins, I suppose. I’m guessing they do massive damage to crops, though- so maybe the choice is starvation vs. the plague. Is there a Door #3
They actually do no damage at all to crops – this from a New Zealander who has had regular weta contact throughout my life. They hang out in the bush and do bug stuff and don’t bother anyone unless they are bothered first. Except that we have found some of their smaller cousins (still freakishly large bugs) in the bathroom from time to time, when it’s particularly dry out and they’re looking for moisture…
Bear Grylls would love to eat that thing…Loads of protein….
haha!
I have a friend in NZ, and she woke up one night with a slightly smaller version of that thing crawling on her hair.
That alone is almost enough to make prefer rats.
New Zealanders are actually fond of their wetas – they are kinda like mascots. I think they are pretty awesome, likely miniature monsters.