Weta are around 70 insect species endemic to the New Zealand archipelago. Weta are large by insect standards, some species among the largest and heaviest in the world. Their physical appearance is that of a cross between a cockroach and a cricket with the addition of large legs. The name comes from the M?ori language word 'w?t?'.The M?ori name of the Giant Weta is 'w?t? punga' (lumpy or jointed weta), a name that is sometimes rendered in English-language sources as 'god of ugly things'. General characteristics By virtue of their ability to cope with variations in temperature, weta can be found in a variety of environments including alpine, forests, grasslands, caves, shrub lands and urban gardens. They are nocturnal and flightless. Different species have different diets. Most weta eat other invertebrates but one group of weta endemic to New Zealand (the tree and giant weta) have evolved to eat mostly leaves, flowers a