Mahoenui Giant Weta vs Yellow-shouldered Slug Sawfly
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Mahoenui Giant Weta | Yellow-shouldered Slug Sawfly |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Deinacrida mahoenui | Arge berberidis |
| Order | Orthoptera | Hymenoptera |
| Family | Anostostomatidae | Argidae |
| Size | Body 50-70 mm | 7-9 mm (adult) |
| Habitat | Forests | Gardens |
| Diet | Herbivores | Herbivores |
| Regions | New Zealand | Europe |
| Conservation | Endangered | Not Evaluated |
Mahoenui Giant Weta
A critically threatened giant weta originally surviving in a single patch of introduced gorse scrub. It is brown with lighter banding and is largely arboreal.
Did You Know?
Ironically, the invasive gorse bush has protected this weta from predators by providing spiny refuge.
Yellow-shouldered Slug Sawfly
A sawfly pest of barberry and mahonia shrubs, skeletonizing leaves in gardens. Larvae are slug-like and pale green with a dark head.
Did You Know?
Two generations per year can completely strip barberry hedges of their foliage by late summer.