fright

After living in New Zealand for over a year, I finally came face to face with a WETA.

I was just going to check the post, when I saw it...sitting in the top section of the postbox where the paper (and junkmail) gets rolled up and stuffed through. It was all I could do not to scream, or yelp...but I did neither, opting to save face in front of any curtain-twitcher neighbours or impressionable toddlers behind me. At first I thought it was a huhu bug - equally scary on the big bug list - but after some research I've ascertained it was a tree weta.

My curiosity got the better of me: I needed to know if there was a letter waiting for me... The best form of defense, apparently, is attack, so I tipped the lid abruptly so he would slide out the far side while I bravely shot my hand in to receive a bill of some sort, but the tenacious bugger was still hanging on. I sort of swiped at it with the furthest edge of the envelope, but it was unimpressed and equally unfazed. So I bid a hasty retreat and let him (or her) inhabit my postbox.

I had 3 more outings back to the postbox once the initial heart rate had subsided, just to have another look at this monster of a bug. Yup, still there. Just hanging out. Just next to the postbox. On the fence. Not moving much - maybe it was ill? Glad I didn't kill it in my initial state of fright...actually it's too big to kill- too solid, if you know what I mean. And it seems to have a bit of a death grip anyway. Wouldn't want it clinging onto me. -Shiver.-ew.

The most unsettling thing about it, is that it wasn't there the next morning...which means it's SOMEWHERE ELSE...and I don't know where...it could be anywhere! My days of gardening ignorance are...behind me. -shiver-