Sarah asked that I do a post on the weta. I've done one before, but this beast requires more attention. Sarah made this post easy. Her email was so discriptive, I'm just going to cut and paste...
The weta is ... "a wonderfully unattractive relative of crickets and grasshoppers from New Zealand in the South Pacific. Its full name in the native language, Maori, is Wetapunga, which means 'the god of ugly things.' Its Latin name means 'demon grasshopper.' The New Zealand visual effects and creature construction company which created monsters for the Hercules and Xena TV series, not to mention the Lord of the Rings movies and King Kong, is named Weta in its honour. The largest species can grow to the size of a mouse, an unsettling trait in any insect. Some species have tusks."
I just might make Wetapunga the mascot for this sight. I wouldn't want to offend the god of ugly things. Not little old me.
Thanks for the write up, Sarah!
Photo source: Brenda Anderson
Mar 23, 2007
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7 comments:
I visited NZ and Weta Workshop a few years ago while they were working on King Kong. They actually have a metal sculpted weta by the front door.
http://flickr.com/photos/sakeme/9084075/in/set-72157594559088566/
PS: Wetas may be ugly, but I still think Potato Bugs are the nastiest bugs in existence!
I think I need to try and get some of those imported as my next pet experiment! :)
Isn't it funny: every time I see a post like this I think: "Wonder if that would be good if it were dipped in chocolate?"
In this case, I doubt it.
On a related note: a tusked grasshopper would be a very awesome pet indeed.
You don't often come across these indoors , but when you do, they really make you jump. Even the little ones are BIG. However, despite their appearance they are entirely harmless and regarded with great affection by most Kiwis.
I always check out your latest post as an antidote to the Daily Puppy and Cute Overload. It works, but I tend to find your featured creatures fascinating rather than ugly. This is a perfect example.
This is one GREAT insect. I first heard of them through the WETA workshop stuff on the LOTR Extended Editions.
I totally think I should have been boarn a Kiwi. :D
Glad you liked my photo!
This one was taken outside in my front garden, but we did have one in our upstairs (!) bathroom once. It had managed to scale the outside wall of the house and onto the roof and then in through the roof window. Imagine my shock when I went upstairs to bed at 11pm, turned on the bathroom light, and saw a giant creature sitting on the bath mat. Eeek! I did take photos though, if you want to see.
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