The World’s Biggest Insect Is So Freaking Huge It Can Eat a Carrot - w/pic

[Kadie]

The World’s Biggest Insect Is So Freaking Huge It Can Eat a Carrot
BY CASEY CHAN DEC 1, 2011 1:00 PM



Say hello to the spine tingling Giant Weta. What is a Giant Weta, you ask? Well, it's a gigantic cricket-like insect that's also the largest insect in the world. It's as heavy as three mice and even bigger than some birds. BE AFRAID LITTLE HUMANS.

The wingspan of this insect (I don't feel like the word insect does this thing justice) is only 7 inches but look at the thing on a human's hands, it's alien, it's not right, I get queasy looking at it. Luckily, the Giant Weta is only found on Little Barrier Island in New Zealand so I'll just avoid that area for the rest of my life and live in peace. The island actually helps the Giant Weta grow so monstrously large because there are fewer predators in its habitat. Not cool.

more...
http://gizmodo.com/5864195/the-worlds-biggest-insect-is-so-freaking-huge-it-can-eat-a-carrot?popular=true

[backscatter712]

1. I for one welcome our new insect overlords... n/t

[patrice]

25. Cthulu's minions. nt

[The Straight Story]

2. They are filming the Hobbit in NZ, some might hitch a ride back here...

and then take over :)

[HopeHoops]

3. Are they any good deep fried on a stick?

If so, they'll be a hit at NASCAR races.

[Skink]

14. tastes like Chicken

[HopeHoops]

17. Not good enough. Rednecks eat fried butter. Fried monster cricket would go over better.

[xchrom]

4. i think i dated him some years back. nt

[Lance_Boyle]

11. *heterosnarf*

I spit coffee on reading that one. Congrats, Sir!

[Kadie]

46. LOL

:hi:

[ingac70]

5. I want a giant grasshopper!

When I was four finding something like this would have been awesome.

[Aerows]

76. I caught grasshoppers in florida

This is too big for me to fit in an old butter tub with holes poked in the top.

You might be able to train it to a leash, though. Or to haul wagons.

[RebelOne]

97. I lived in Florida most of my life,

and those things were not grasshoppers. They were locusts. Scared me.

[geardaddy]

6. Awesome.

[jpak]

7. The regular-sized weta are hugh - and nocturnal

:D

[RZM]

8. You think that's scary . . . how about this?

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

http://images.google.com/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1680&bih=830&q=Arthropleura&gbv=2&oq=Arthropleura&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=534l534l0l925l1l1l0l0l0l0l0l0ll0l0

Good thing for us he's been gone for 280 million years :)

[Poll_Blind]

19. Oh man that would be a nightmare to defend one's self against....

PB

[petronius]

47. What movie is that from?

'Cause that one still shot alone convinces me that I want to see it! :)

I've also realized that I desperately need a pet giant weta to keep in my office...

[pipi_k]

62. One of my favorite scenes

from a movie...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKOGvw2TwQU



hahahahaha!

Puke, puke... :puke:

[Fawke Em]

72. My 4 year old loves this movie.

She sings, "Da da da da dah. Da da da da dah. Da da da, da da da, da-da da dah...."

:)

[pipi_k]

95. Hah, the scene where they invent music...

They really get down there, don't they? :7

[Poll_Blind]

99. I think it's from one of the "Walking with Monsters/Dinosaurs" series.

I just put in the scientific name into Google images and I think that's where it came up.

PB

[Kadie]

45. Wow. Those are huge! n/t

[hifiguy]

58. That is good to know/.

I hate, Hate, HATE centipedes with a passion. They're the creepiest of all the creepy crawlies. Millipedes I pick up on a sheet of paper and set outside. They move slowly enough to deal with, but centipedes.... YUCK!!

[L. Coyote]

115. big bug

[Solly Mack]

9. Awww

It's cute in a kind of ugly, I don't want that crawling on me way.

[WillParkinson]

10. MUCH cuter than a bunny...

Just so huggable and squeezable.

Well, don't squeeze too hard, I guess.

[Mosby]

12. i wonder what it tastes like?

Sautee or broil? Hmmmmm.

[tridim]

13. There is at least one person in my household that would salivate seeing that picture.

I'm not salivating, but I do think giant insects are pretty cool. They're big enough that they cease to be annoying pests.

[Fumesucker]

15. That thing is pretty neat but for sheer creepiness coconut crabs are teh awesome..

"Honey, the crab's been getting in the garbage again."

[Aerows]

18. Okay between that and the first picture

I now have a major case of the heebie jeebies. Ewwww.

[Marr]

23. Ha! I should've looked at your post before I posted.

If I lived there, I'd keep an elephant around just so he could step on those things for me.

[Kadie]

44. That is creepy!

[Huey P. Long]

48. Mmmmm, throw that in a pot of boiling water with a few bags of Zatarain's, lemon, onion,

corn and potato...and we got a crab boil!

[pinboy3niner]

54. We're gonna need a bigger pot

And from the looks of that shell, we're gonna need a bigger hammer, too.

I'd just serve it boiled, with homemade crab spice (Chesapeake Blue Crab-style).

It is known for the quality of its meat "and is considered a delicacy and an aphrodisiac," according to Wiki. Makes me want to put on my crab bib. :)

[Huey P. Long]

57. You northerners. This is what I'm talkin' bout-

Although baking that thing like a lobster might be good too.

[Aerows]

69. We throw crawfish in the pot down here

And we aren't scared of "bugs".

But then again, you Northerners don't have 1 1/2" bugs that climb in, can fly and attack you.

Don't even get on Southerners about bugs unless you have experienced rain that doesn't stop and HUGE ASS flying bugs that climb in and try to get warm and dry.

It doesn't matter which part of town you live in, either. These things attack EVERYBODY in EVERYBODY'S house.

[Aerows]

77. Cher, I'd eat that in a heartbeat

But it's going to take a STRUGGLE to get that humongous thing anywhere close to dinner. I'll just stand over here and offer medical attention when you try to get away from those claws.

[hatrack]

61. WTF? Where was that picture taken?

Tourism Avoidance Alert in progress!

[Aerows]

80. No kidding! n/t

[WillParkinson]

92. OK, that is one of the coolest things I've ever seen!

I'm happy it's a picture, though. I think I'd poo my pants.

[Poll_Blind]

16. Apparently they're badasses, too. They fight like a praying mantis does, which is...

...to say they eat you while they're fighting you.

I have to say it is an exceptionally efficient form of defense.

PB

[BlancheSplanchnik]

30. Oh reeeeeally? Hmmmmm....... can we plan a sports/political event?

Cage fighting...Giant Weta vs Newt.

:evilgrin:

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

87. More accurately, Praying Mantises and Giant Wetas fight like Mike Tysons...

[Puzzledtraveller]

20. these things annoyed the heck out of me in Metroid.

Where's Samus?

[Marr]

21. I still think these are way more gross:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0LmGA_I9uxY/TliaVxCx-cI/AAAAAAAAAUw/_JovkCxa3oE/s1600/Coconut+Crab+8.jpg

So what if it's a crab-- they have all the physical features that make insects disturbing.

[patrice]

26. What does it eat besides coconuts? Awesome food, btw, coconuts, that is. nt

[ingac70]

39. garbage, carrion, small animals.....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_crab#Diet

[Kadie]

43. ick! n/t

[gratuitous]

22. Oh - the Giant Weta; my first thought was "and it can get married three times"

I guess Newt Gingrich qualifies as an insect only on a metaphorical level, not a taxonomic one.

[lumberjack_jeff]

24. But does it have a Tiffany's credit line? n/t

[patrice]

35. Nope, but the application is in the works, 'cause Repubs want it to qualify as a candidate. nt

[SidDithers]

27. Welcome to Klendathu...

it's an ugly planet. A bug planet.

Sid

[patrice]

40. Should have guessed you are "Heinleinian" and STs is a mixed though worthy film/laugh. nt

[patrice]

28. What does it eat besides carrots? nt

[Marr]

50. Hands.

You just have to watch the carrot very closely.

[Kadie]

53. ROFL!

:rofl:

[Aerows]

89. "That's a well-developed mandible you've got there, missy" n/t

[soleft]

29. So spiders aren't considered insects then I take it.

Cause camel spiders are bigger than that guy.

[backscatter712]

33. Nope. They're arachnids. Different evolutionary branch than insects. n/t

[soleft]

60. and arachnid is different than Arthropod? Holy M of G!

[Rex]

36. Actually they are not.

They are both in different classes.

[Kadie]

41. Yikes!

:scared:

[tblue37]

106. Spiders have 8 legs, insects have six. Besides belonging to

a different class, they have some different features.

[Arugula Latte]

107. You know what? Screw it. I'm becoming a Freeper. Why? So I can say:

"Nuke the Middle East!"

At least then we'd get rid of the camel spiders ... or on second thought maybe they'd be the only things to survive ... :scared:

[JoePhilly]

31. I expected a picture of Newt Gingrich

[smirkymonkey]

86. That WAS a picture of Newt Gingrich.

He just didn't have his suit on.

[lonestarnot]

112. Head not big enough.

[Rex]

32. What the hell!?!?! Don't help it! Great, I guess I should welcome

are new insect overlords...do they usually vote D or R?

[Viking12]

34. Well, this cockroach can eat a corndog...

just sayin'

[patrice]

38. LLLOOOLLLLLLLL!!

:rofl:

Come on, admit it, that's not an insect, you all JUST! LUV! that photo.

[Rex]

51. Wow, didn't know roaches were getting that large!

Stop feeding them corndogs!

[rppper]

113. that picture is disturbing on many levels.....

would Mr. Bachman be envious?

[90-percent]

37. Big Bugs

I've been waiting for giant insects to take over the earth since the fifties drive in sci-fi films.

It's about damned time!

I really find almost all bugs utterly hideous. This one is marginally less creepy than most, in my view.

I can tolerate Lady Bugs and Praying Mantis, however.

I think the big Iraq Spiders needs to be snoped, however.

-90% jimmy

[Kadie]

42. I loved watching those old sci-fi films.

:hi:

[90-percent]

49. OLD SCI FI

Forgive me for stating what may be obvious, but Mystery Science theater 3000 was instrumental in growing my fondness for such movies. The Frank Zappa song Cheepnis also helped.

If you aren't already a MYSTIE, I hope you do check it out.

-90% Jimmy

[Kadie]

52. Forgot all about that show.

When I was a kid they always played the sci-fi movies on Saturday afternoons on tv. Loved it.

Mystery Science theater 3000 was awesome. My husband and I used to watch it. Had forgotten all about it. Thanks for the reminder.

[formercia]

55. Camel Spider Web Site:

http://www.camelspiders.net/

[formercia]

56. I know where a huge Largemouth Bass lives.

She would die for that.

[bikebloke]

59. Peter Jackson's studio is named after that bug.

[Blue_Tires]

63. kill it with fire

[T S Justly]

64. whoa! watch your fingers! (nt)

[Contrary1]

65. What in the world is this?

From the linked page:

[Kadie]

67. Could it be this...

There’s a louse that eats fish’s tongues, and then acts as a replacement!
http://www.omg-facts.com/view/Facts/38897






eewwwwwww....

[Contrary1]

70. Don't think it's the same cuddly critter...

Mine has teeth.

[Kadie]

71. Ah... I thought you were looking at the critter that is in its mouth... how about this...

The Sheepshead has teeth that look human!

The Sheepshead is a species of fish that is found in the Southern parts of the United States. They feed on shrimp, sandfleas, clams, and crabs. What do these things have in common? They tend to have harder shells.



http://www.omg-facts.com/view/Facts/45867

[geomon666]

75. I didn't even know fish had tongues.

Damn that's creepy.

[Aerows]

79. Mouth-Breeders

Not to be mistaken for mouth breathers.

[Aerows]

78. Aliens

I must be watching that movie.

[Aerows]

66. I'm creeped out. I admit it

I can confront a snake in the yard, or deal with the 6-foot alligator and people panicking, but that?

Holy hell.

My skin is crawling.

[Kadie]

68. Be careful of clicking on other posts in this thread.

I started this and now I am getting creeped out!

LOL

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

73. All that's missing is the leash and muzzle.

[Aerows]

74. LMFAO

Designer pets for sale.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

82. Think of the vet bills. "Fluffy broke four of his legs."

[Aerows]

84. LMFAO - I nearly fell out of my chair laughing!

My co workers are looking at me suspiciously now, thanks to you.

Still... ROFL

There will be a market for antennae maintenance products. Keep them smooth, silky and able to detect fragments of decaying vegetable matter.

[Contrary1]

88. My son had a pet tarantula he named "Fluffy".

:rofl:

[Aerows]

90. Did you have to take Fluffy in for broken legs yet?

Just curious. I lived in Arizona and if a wolf spider seems like a friend, you are pretty much immune from oddity to someone asking a serious and honest question LMAO.

Not judging, BTW, just saying.

[Contrary1]

91. Nah, no broken legs...

My son was always into weird pets, but he had to wait until he was an adult to get this one. He kept it in his classroom as a mascot of sort. His students loved it.

Fluffy lived a pampered life, with an abundant supply of crickets, and a throng of young admirers watching his/her every move.

Sadly, Fluffy went to that great web in the sky a couple years ago. It was a private service, involving a baggie and a dumpster. He/she left no survivors.

We miss you, Fluffy. :cry:

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Aerows]

96. "web in the sky"

"involving a baggie and a dumpster" LMAO. :rofl:

[Nuclear Unicorn]

81. Ew! *hits thread with shoe* n/t

[Aerows]

83. Better be a size 20

That thing isn't going to go down easily, and would probably just get more interested in crawling your way.

[Fire Walk With Me]

85. I adore crickets so this doesn't bother me much.

Then again, I don't have one of them in my hand at the moment :)

[Liberal_in_LA]

93. ewww. some let it sit on their hand

[davekriss]

94. Did Gingrich shed his outer skin again?

[TheManInTheMac]

98. Imagine one of those hitting your windshield.

SPLATTT!

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

100. Ever have a bird hit your window shield? I imagine it's kind of like that...

without having to pick feathers out of the wipers.

I hit a bird a few months ago. More of "whomp-splrk" instead of a "splat".

[TheManInTheMac]

101. Actually, just once--a crow.

Though it kinda did a "whomp-slide" so I avoided the feathers. I felt bad when it happened. Hitting one of these, I think probably wouldn't bother me beyond the gross out factor. I could've lived out my life without knowing I share the world with something like this.

I mean, I love nature and all, but c'mon! This thing is just fucking CREEPY!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

102. That's just wrong.

[OswegoAtheist]

103. CUTE!

Well, this is one of my favourite threads on DU right now, all the nice pictures of creepy-crawlies....

Oswego "#occupyoswego" Atheist

[derby378]

104. Now, if YOU were a sentient giant grasshopper...

...just think of all those cute little fuzzy mammals whose feelings you're hurting because you're all "Ewwww! Fuzz! Keep those squishy balls of hair away from me and let me live on Little Barrier Island in peace!"

Giant Wetas need love, too... :rofl:

[nc4bo]

105. Oh MY

Too many emotions; horror, wonder, want-to-touch-it, OMFG, disgust, awed.......wow that's one mighty big bug!

:rofl:

[hulka38]

108. I've seen bigger. eom

[muriel_volestrangler]

109. Nothing looks as cool as a gigantic woodlouse

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

Built-in shades, man!

[Obamanaut]

110. . nt

[lonestarnot]

111. Send in the entomophagists RIGHT FUCKING NOW!111 Series111

:evilgrin:

[Quantess]

114. Amazing!