The Reed Species Guides - New Zealand Weta

Reed Books 1998 edition, very good condition
Show a weta to someone and you?ll get a reaction ? generally one of horror! However there is much more to these bizarre-looking creatures than meets the eye, and on closer inspection they hold a fascination all of their own.
Weta receive more attention from conservationists & scientists than most insects owing to their size & uniquely NZ features. In New Zealand Weta George Gibbs aims to stimulate interest in these relics of the dinosaur age, and to answer the sorts of questions that people frequently ask about them. He describes some of the different types of weta (there are about 100 of them) and their distribution, the insect's body structure, its life cycle, diet, behaviour, calling sounds, and enemies. Some weta species have coped with modern predators and habitat changes better than others, and a chapter on conservation issues looks at the weta?s vulnerability and the effectiveness of moving threatened species to rat-free islands. A gallery of weta species illustrates & describes in detail 13 different weta, and a final chapter explains how to keep and breed weta in captivity. Superbly illustrated with photographs by NZ wildlife photographer Rod Morris, New Zealand Weta is a user friendly introduction to this country?s most amazing insect, written to appeal to readers of all ages...