Size does matter for New Zealand insects

By Geoff Thomas, for News at U of T
Female Wellington tree weta. Photo: Tony Wills. Source: Wikipedia

Female Wellington tree weta. Photo: Tony Wills. Source: Wikipedia

After a night on the prowl, locating a willing mate holds the promise of a private cuddle, a whole day of canoodling and 14 to 15 opportunities to “make hay.” For the giant weta of New Zealand, a quirk in sexual selection means coupling owes more to speed — usually correlated with diminutive size — than brawn.

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