Hungry Snail...

[Rockhopper]

One of NZ's Native insect eating snails. They grow quite big too.



Tim.

[Kaere]

Holy Hannah!!

...NZ sounds skeery.

[Agartha]

OMG!! Why did I watch it?????
lol

[Kaere]

...just like a big fat noodle *slurps*

[Agartha]

Not helping, Kaere......... I've just forgotten all about it.... until now! LOL

[Rockhopper]

Then you won't want to run into these Ags!



Giant.



They are Wetas, and come from the same ancestor as the crickets, grasshoppers etc. Remained unchanged for 200 million years.

Tim.

[Lenzabi]

I have heard of the Weta, snail ate that earthworm like a noodle shop buffet.

[Agartha]

Wetas are beautiful!! I like little critters, but the snail sucking up that worm was just disgusting!!! lol

[Kaere]

... are they a jumpy type of critter? *face goes pale*

[Agartha]

... are they a jumpy type of critter? *face goes pale*

Oh I'm sure they are, look at those legs!!!

Love jumpy critters!!

[Rockhopper]

They prefer to run rather than jump Ka.

The first two are harmless, the last one can and does bite. Not poisonous but the bite hurts like hell!

The Giant Weta is one of the biggest insects in the world and is about the size of a large mouse. We used to play with them when I was a young shaver!

Scientists are studying them because of their ability to freeze solid then thaw and run away again. That is how they hibernate over winter, crawl into a pond and let it freeze around them. When it thaws, they scuttle off!!

Tim.

[Lenzabi]

and the spines show they know how to fight.

I also watched an associated video once the snail one ended, snail slurping worms like a noodle is nothing compared to the idea that we are always parasitized

[Kaere]

and the spines show they know how to fight.

I also watched an associated video once the snail one ended, snail slurping worms like a noodle is nothing compared to the idea that we are always parasitized

ew...

[Kaere]

They prefer to run rather than jump Ka.

The first two are harmless, the last one can and does bite. Not poisonous but the bite hurts like hell!

The Giant Weta is one of the biggest insects in the world and is about the size of a large mouse. We used to play with them when I was a young shaver!

Scientists are studying them because of their ability to freeze solid then thaw and run away again. That is how they hibernate over winter, crawl into a pond and let it freeze around them. When it thaws, they scuttle off!!

Tim.

That can't be natural lol... freezing and then walking away from it?! And I'd like to point out the inherently scuttlelike behaviour of lobsters! These are just landscuttling lobster cousins... much cuter though, if I do say so. Those could almost be antlers!

[Lenzabi]

Folks in South Africa do refer to their version as "Park town Prawns"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parktown_prawn

[Rockhopper]

Yep Len they are a rellie of the Weta. Aussie has one as well. Don't know of any in Sth America though.

The Motunui Weta (bottom pic) eats insects and vegetation. The others don't, they are vegetarian.



And a Tree Weta de-freezing!

http://www.naturefootage.com/stockfootage/Alpine_Weta

Tim.

[Kaere]

The world is amazing!

[Rogue]

...just sayin'

[Kaere]

What the what?

[Lenzabi]

Water bear, microscopic super survivior

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