A common wētā (Hemideina crassidens) in NZ suburban garden. The insect is a flightless cricket, showing defence or warning posture with raised leg.

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The common name (wētā) is a Maori word. With macrons it means the insect group; without macrons the word means filth. This is probably the Wellington tree wētā,, Hemideina crassidens. They are nocturnal so this one is cranky as it has been disturbed in daylight.

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Size: 3968px × 2976px
Location: Wellington NZ
Photo credit: © Carol Thomas / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No

Keywords: big, cricket, defence, frontal, garden, head, insect, leave, leg, mode, nz, raised, warning, weta, wood, ēā