The most numerous insects in the world. giant insects

Although the vast majority of mosquitoes, spiders, flies and beetles are very small, there are real giants among them. They invariably arouse great interest, so the top of the largest insects in the world below will help you better understand who is who in the world of these unusual creatures living next to us.

10th place

The length of the body is 10 cm and the weight is up to 70 g. These are the parameters that the giant ueta has, or, as it is called in Latin, Deinacrida heteracantha. These beetles live in New Zealand. They are rightfully considered one of the heaviest in the world, since some individuals have a body weight greater than that of a well-known sparrow. It is interesting that the reason for the "excess weight", and if without jokes, the gigantism of this superbug is the absence of small mammals in its island habitat. Thus, having no enemies and at the same time not lacking food, giant ueta over the course of millions of years, as a result of natural selection, could become real heavyweights, and therefore occupy the last, but honorable place in the top 10 largest insects in the world.

9th place

The title of "the largest insect in the world" is also claimed by the giant stag beetle. Some individuals of this species living in North America, reach a length of 4.5-8 cm. They also have European and Asian relatives, but they are much smaller and do not cause such surprise as Yankee beetles.

Scientists say that it's all about the nutrition of the larvae, so small individuals appear in "hungry" years, when there is little rain, and it is difficult for the female to find rotting wood rich in nutritious fiber for laying eggs. As for the record holders, the largest copy is today kept in the British Museum - its size is 8.7 cm.

8th place

Many believe that the largest insect in the world is the goliath beetle. The body length of males of this species usually ranges from 8 to 11 cm and weighs about 47 g. There are eyewitness accounts that even caught goliath beetles weighing about 100 g a few decades ago. These insects live in the central and southeastern regions of Africa. In addition to their large weight, they are distinguished by an exquisite black and white color, which allows adding to the title of “the largest insect in the world” (by body weight) also the title of one of the most beautiful representatives of the arthropod family.

7th place (I)

Some of the most large insects in the world, whose photos are of constant interest, died out many centuries ago, and we can only guess what they really looked like. Until recently, it was believed that the giant stick insect, which was originally found on Lord Howe Island, should also be included in their number. Before the arrival of Europeans, this insect multiplied in huge numbers, as it had no enemies in the wild. The situation changed when black rats settled on Lord Howe, who escaped from the holds of English ships that landed on the island in order to stock up fresh water and provision. In just a few years, they destroyed the entire population, and no one heard of the giant stick insect for almost 2 centuries.

Fortunately, it turned out that this insect (120 mm long and 15 mm thick) survived on Balls Pyramid Island, located a few kilometers from Lord Howe, off the coast of Australia. In total, about 30 adults of the giant stick insect were found, which in appearance can be easily confused with a dry grass stalk.

7th place (II)

It cannot be argued that the leaf-bearer is the largest insect in the world, but it can be safely considered the most well-camouflaged. Just look at his photo to be amazed at how much his female resembles several green leaves lying on top of each other. The amazing possibilities of this insect do not end there, since it is able to reproduce parthenogenetically, that is, without the participation of a male.

The body length of the leafworm is no more than 12.5 cm, so we can assume that it deservedly shares the 7th place in the list called "The largest insect in the world" with a giant stick insect.

6th place

In the sixth position in the ranking of the largest insects on the planet is Queen Alexandra Bird's Wing. Under such a magnificent name, more like the title of an august person, there is a giant butterfly with a very beautiful color. To ensure the survival of offspring, this is the largest insect in the world (36 cm - such is its wingspan) among its subclass has successfully mastered unique way self-defense: it feeds on pollen poisonous plant Aristolochia schlecteri. Due to this circumstance, the Queen's caterpillars are poisonous and do not fall prey to birds.

5th place

If you are interested in what is the largest insect in the world, Natgeo will offer a lot interesting information. However, let us return to our rating, the fifth position of which is confidently occupied by the dung beetle. The length of its body can reach 7 cm. In total, 500 varieties of this insect are known with brown, black, yellowish and purple colors. The dung beetle is not only a large, but also an exceptionally industrious and strong insect. With a small weight, which is only 2 g, this tireless worker can move a ball of dung weighing 35-40 g.

4th place

Some giant water bugs reach a length of 15 cm. They live in fresh water in South America, as well as in the tropics of the Asian continent. An interesting feature of these insects is that their hind legs are designed for swimming and are a kind of flippers. In addition, they are known as fierce predators and successfully prey on fry, salamanders, tadpoles and even frogs. The main weapon of these insects is their saliva, which can completely paralyze even a rather large prey and turn it internal organs into a jelly-like, easily digestible mass.

3rd place

The peacock-eye butterfly is one of the top three in the nomination "The largest insect in the world." It has a wingspan of up to 26 cm, which is somewhat inferior to the aforementioned Queen Alexandra. However, the wings of this insect are somewhat larger and longer. In addition, it has an exceptionally beautiful color. By the way, some varieties of peacock-eye, in the process of turning from a caterpillar into a butterfly, form cocoons used to produce natural silk.

The habitat of this insect is the tropics and subtropics of Asia and America. As for moderate climatic zones, then 10 species of peacock-eye butterflies can be found in Europe, and 12-15 in our country.

2nd place

Chan's Megastick is recognized as one of the largest insects on the planet. The length of his body, which can easily be confused with a dry branch, can reach 37 cm. Even more impressive figures are obtained if we also take into account the size of his paws. In particular, with outstretched limbs, the mega-stick has a length of up to 56 cm. The local habitat of these insects is the island of Kalimantan, where they are very difficult to find, and all thanks to their exceptional camouflage abilities.

On the this moment Only 3 specimens have been found. All of them were caught in the state of Sabah (Malaysia). At the same time, neither their way of life, nor the features of reproduction have yet been studied.

First place

So, it remains to find out which insect is the largest in the world. Scientists claim that it is a woodcutter-titan. The length of the body of this beetle, which lives in South America, is 21 cm. It is also considered the most expensive of insects, since collectors agree to purchase the largest specimens at a crazy price of 600 to 1000 dollars and even more. For comparison, we can give an example: most of even the rarest species of beetles and butterflies cost between $20-300.

The woodcutter-titanium is also included in the famous Guinness Book of Records, and one of the largest representatives of the species is exhibited in the National Museum of Bolivia and is the pride of its natural science collection.

Interestingly, these insects have quite short life, which is only 20-35 days. Moreover, all this time they do not eat anything, maintaining their strength from the energy reserves made by the body at the larval stage, which lasts about two years. Thus, the entire life cycle of a titanium lumberjack is 24-25 months and ends immediately after the laying of eggs by the female, from which the next generation should appear.

Now you know which "spider bugs" belong to the category "The largest insects in the world." Photos of these representatives of the animal world amaze the imagination and make one once again admire the creations of mother nature, capable of creating such perfect creatures that can survive in any conditions.

The heaviest insect

There is an insect that is rather sonorously called the goliath beetle. He is the bearer of both the title of the heaviest beetle on the planet, and the title of the heaviest insect. The beetle got its self-explanatory name, most likely, just for its size. The length is measured from the end of the small horns to the very edge of the abdomen, and in males it is eleven centimeters with a width of six centimeters, and the length of females varies from five to eight centimeters. The weight of an adult is about one hundred grams. It is not easy to hold such a giant in your hands, it is very strong.

These insects are "close relatives" of May beetles, their habitat is Upper Guinea. Most often goliaths are black, white color they have heads, as well as other parts of the body. Females and males differ not only in size. So, the male has a branched horn on his head, which the female does not have. Her head is in the form of a shield, which helps her to dig the earth to build a cradle for her eggs.

In giant beetles, the larvae are also huge. They can develop up to fifteen centimeters in length with a mass of about one hundred and ten grams. The larvae feed on humus and younger brothers. Adults eat leaves of palm tops, overripe fruit, tree sap.

People learned about the existence of goliath beetles at the end of the eighteenth century. For most collectors, such a beetle is a dream come true.

The heaviest butterflies

Among the butterflies, Boisduval woodworms are considered the heaviest. Their family includes almost eight hundred species. These record-breaking butterflies - gray color. Woodworms live in Australia and are clumsy. Their body is extremely thick. The wingspan varies from nine to twenty-five centimeters.

The largest individuals can weigh thirty grams. It is known that each female lays about twenty thousand small eggs. Later, small caterpillars descend along the cobwebs to the roots of plants, where they feed, continuing to develop.

giant mantis

Praying mantises, like some other insects, have greatly increased in size under the influence of radiation. At the same time, giant insects practically do not differ from their counterparts. standard size. It's about the giant Asian praying mantis. Its habitat is the tropics of the South East Asia. They can be seen in India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Thailand. These diurnal insects live in the foliage of shrubs and trees.

The length of an adult is from eight to nine centimeters, and the females are always larger. Throughout life, the color changes and can be almost white, and red-brown, and even black. The Asian giant praying mantis is very aggressive. Throughout life in captivity, the insect should be kept separately. The female reaches maturity after seven molts. Three weeks after the last, an edema is deposited by it, from which sixty to eighty nymphs appear in a month.

The world's largest grasshopper Ueta

Grasshoppers are mostly predators, but almost all of them small size. Among them, the grasshopper Ueta is recognized as a giant. Usually the length of an individual is from eight and a half to nine centimeters with a weight of about seventy grams. But this weight is more than the weight of a standard sparrow. Weta are among the heaviest insects. Their habitat is New Zealand. Weta have no wings, they protect themselves from predators with spiked limbs.

Giant grasshoppers ended up in New Zealand before it became an isolated archipelago. Since Uet had no main enemies, they took the place of small mammals. Huge grasshoppers feed on lichens, fruits, leaves and flowers and are nocturnal.

But the largest ant in the world grows up to 2.5 cm ...
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The largest class of animals in terms of numbers are insects. The word "insects" itself literally translates from Greek as "an animal with notches." Their forms and habitats are very diverse. Few people know that even in Antarctica there are representatives of this class. We associate insects with small creatures, but this is far from the case. Among them there are views of very impressive sizes. IN this rating ten species of the largest insects in the world are listed.

TOP 10 largest insects in the world

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10

tarantula hawk

The body length of females is up to 5.1 cm.

The largest wasp in the world opens the rating of large insects. It is called - tarantula hawk. This insect is called so because the females use tarantula spiders to raise their larvae. To do this, they pierce the victim with a huge sting, which they have about seven millimeters and paralyze it. Then the larvae are deposited inside the tarantula. The body of a tarantula serves as a breeding ground for them. But the tarantula hawks themselves prefer to eat fruits and nectar.

The sting of this huge wasp is the most painful in comparison with the stings of other bees and wasps. But, despite this, in Bolivia she is considered a friend of man.

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9

Grasshopper Veta

Body length - up to 9 cm.

Ninth place belongs to the representative of New Zealand. The Weta grasshopper reaches a length of up to nine centimeters and is also a heavyweight. Its weight is about eighty-five grams. A female Weta grasshopper can lay up to three hundred eggs. But natural life cycle does not allow her to live until the birth of offspring.

For millions of years, the Veta grasshopper has not changed its appearance. This is due to the geographical isolation of the islands from the mainland. In the absence of enemies in wildlife, it has reached an impressive size. But now it can only be found in very secluded places of the islands, because the number of Wet has decreased significantly. The huge grasshopper became an object of attention and hunting for the Europeans who settled on the islands.

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8

Rhino cockroach

In the photo: Rhino cockroach

Body length - up to 9-10 cm.

The next on the list of the largest insects will be the rhinoceros cockroach. In another way, it is called a giant burrowing cockroach. He lives in Australia and is considered not only one of the largest insects, but also the heaviest. The length of his body is about nine centimeters, and his weight is thirty-five grams. This creature lives for about ten years, which is also a lot compared to the lifespan of other insects.

The rhinoceros cockroach feeds on green eucalyptus leaves. He lives in a hole in the ground, deep enough, up to one meter deep. For lovers of insects, this beetle is quite suitable as a pet.

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7

Goliath beetle

In the photo: Goliath beetle

Body length - 11 cm.

It is the heaviest beetle on the planet. If you put five sparrows on one scale and a Goliath beetle on the other, it will easily pull them over. The weight of the giant beetle is about one hundred grams, and the body length reaches eleven centimeters. Huge dimensions do not allow him to quickly take off and hide. His only salvation is the color, which is always adapted to the main color of the habitat. In order to take off, Goliath needs to increase its body temperature. In shady areas, the giant beetle wears a black shell that heats up faster in the sun. But in sunny places may be of different colors.

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6

giant water bug

Pictured: Giant water bug

Body length - 12 cm.

The giant water bug lives in the tropics. If conditions are favorable for growth, then the body length reaches twelve centimeters. Giant water bugs are predators, and any freshwater animal can become the object of their hunt. For a person, the bite of a water bug is one of the most painful. The poisonous saliva that the bug secretes from the proboscis paralyzes the prey and contributes to its decomposition. The bug then sucks out the mass.

Giant water bugs start breeding in the spring. The female lays about a hundred eggs on the male's back. In Asian countries, people consider the water bug to be edible. These insects are roasted and sold in the market like seeds.

Everyone knows that the largest insects lived in the prehistoric era, but even in modern world you can still meet enough large representatives of this class, from the sight of which goosebumps will run.

Meganisoptera

Meganisoptera (or Griffinfly) is the largest dragonfly that has ever lived in the world, as well as the largest prehistoric insect. This giant with a wingspan of 75 cm reigned in the skies approximately 317 - 247 million years ago, long before pterosaurs, birds and bats appeared.

Giant New Zealand grasshopper

The weight of a grasshopper can reach 35 g. During the day, it usually hides among fallen leaves or under rotten trees, but at night it leaves its secluded place. Despite their huge size, the grasshopper lives only 6-9 months.

lumberjack titan

Native to the rainforests of South America, this beetle is the largest insect in the world. At 16.7 cm long, this giant insect can easily snap a pencil in half with its pincers. There were cases when these mites pierced into human flesh.

Australian stick insect

This huge insect eats plants and lives in Australia. In females, the body is covered with prickly spines, in males it is smooth. Females are larger than males and can reach a length of up to 20 cm. Although outwardly they look like praying mantises, the relationship between them is not close.

Peacock-eye atlas

This large butterfly lives in tropical and subtropical forests. South-East Asia. Wingspan up to 25 cm. These beautiful creatures fascinate with their bright colors. But they live only 5-7 days.

Giant burrowing cockroach

It lives mainly in the tropical parts of the Australian state of Queensland. This is one of the largest and heaviest cockroaches in the world. It reaches a length of up to 8 cm and weighs up to 35 g. Also known as a rhinoceros cockroach. Some people keep it at home as a pet. It can live up to 10 years.

elephant beetle

A native of the tropical forests of Central and South America (especially common in Mexico). This amazing beetle reaches a length of up to 13 cm. It is active mainly at night. The beetle feeds on tree sap and fallen tropical fruits.

Chen's Mega Stick

This is one of the longest insects in the world (up to 57 cm). It was recently discovered in a tropical forest on the island of Borneo. This species of stick insect remains largely unexplored because the insect lives in the tops of trees, where it is very difficult to detect.

Birdwing of Queen Alexandra

The world's largest butterfly, which can be found in the rainforests of the province of Oro in the east papua new guinea. This giant creature the wingspan reaches 30.5 cm, the butterfly feeds on the liquid nectar of tropical flowers.

giant water bug

This large insect can be found in freshwater ponds, lakes, streams and rivers in North and South America, Northern Australia and East Asia. These ferocious predators are known to attack small fish and frogs, but they can also kill small snakes and even turtles. The bug is also known by other names - “biting fingers” and “alligator mites”.

Rhinoceros beetle

Also known as the Caucasian Beetle. This one especially large view found throughout Southeast Asia, especially in Malaysia. Males can reach a length of 13 cm.

Saint Helena earwig

The largest species of earwig that once lived on the island of Saint Helena in South Atlantic Ocean. The body length reached 8 cm. The last confirmed meeting with a live earwig took place in May 1967. In 2014, this remarkable species was officially declared extinct.

goliath beetle

Native to tropical regions of Africa, goliath beetles are striking in their size, their larvae are also very large and heavy (can weigh up to 100 g). Adults reach a length of 12 cm.

lumberjack titan

Found in the tropical forests of South America. The beetle is easily recognizable by its beautiful pattern and large jaws. Despite its huge size (more than 17 cm in length), this species is well adapted to flight.

wasp tarantula hawk

The wasp preys on spiders, including tarantulas. The females of this species paralyze the spider with their bite. They then drag the spider, which can be up to 8 times their weight, into the burrow, where they lay their eggs in it. The wasp larvae then feed on the tarantula and develop into adults over time.

Scoliosis wasps

stag beetle

The beetle is large in size (up to 12 cm), awesome appearance and imposing pincer-like jaws. However, this giant feeds on plant sap and only uses its jaws during courtship or in fights for females. It usually does not pose a danger to humans.

The world is full of interesting things and animals that you can talk about for a very long time. Today we invite you to familiarize yourself with the Top 10 largest insects on earth.

1. Beetle-Acteon

This giant is named after the mythological hero Actaeon, who was trained by the centaur Chiron. But what is heroic in this huge beetle? First of all, this is the size - an insect from the Scarabaeidae family can reach more than 12 inches in length. Actaeon is the second largest beetle in the world, with a wide and heavy body, strong paws and large claws. Found in South America, the Actaeon beetle is in the larval and pupal stages for three years, and after birth has a lifespan of less than six months. This tragedy is worthy of any hero, both Greek and South American!

2. Giant water bug

This biting crawling creature has the Latin name Belostomatidae. The giant water bug lives all over the world, and especially in North and South America, East Asia and Northern Australia. In different areas of the world it is called differently - but all the nicknames are equally creepy. This water bug is carnivorous, preying on crustaceans, fish and even aquatic reptiles. Faced with people, they pretend to be dead. If that doesn't work, they can bite, piercing flesh and squirting their saliva. This is one of the most painful stings in the world, although it does not pose any medical threat. In Thailand, these bugs are street food and a tasty treat fried in a spicy sauce.

3.Ornithopter Queen Alexandra

Ornithopter Queen Alexandra - the most big butterfly in the world. Native to Papua New Guinea, this giant butterfly is an endangered species. With a wingspan of up to 40 centimeters, and 30 centimeters long, the butterfly is endangered as the habitat of this beauty is invaded by lumberjacks and the cultivation of oil palm, coffee and cocoa. Butterfly Ornithoptera Queen Alexandra lives in the crowns of rainforest trees. The butterfly was discovered by naturalists in 1906 and named after the wife of Edward VII. This endangered insect is indeed very beautiful. Since its larvae feed toxic plants, the butterfly has practically no enemies in nature, except for humans.

4. Giant burrowing cockroach

This cockroach can grow up to 7.5 cm long and weigh up to 30 grams. In fact, this insect, which causes an instinctive reaction of pure disgust in most people, is quite docile. It is often kept as a pet. Most cockroaches have wings, but not this giant, who also plays an important role in nature! Feeding dry leaves to its offspring in small dug holes, this insect contributes to the natural process of fertilizing the earth - a kind of composting. The giant burrowing cockroach lives only in Australia, and often catches the eye of people. This insect can live up to 10 years, which also distinguishes it from the common cockroach.

5. Tarantula hawk

This is the largest wasp in the world. They are so called because they hunt and feed on tarantula spiders (they actually feed the spider to their larvae). The tarantula hawk is huge and has the worst sting of any wasp, one of the most painful. The sting of the female wasp paralyzes the tarantulas, allowing them to be dragged to the wasp's lair. Bright colours act as a warning to predators, and the wasp's hooked claws can grab onto anything. The sting of a hawk can reach 7 mm in length.

6. Peacock-eye Atlas

Few people know that this largest moth was named (wing surface area is 62 cm2) in honor of the mythological Greek Titan because of the pattern on its wings. A subspecies of this colossus is said to be the inspiration for the Japanese monster from movies and literature, the Mothra, or kaiju in Japan. These creatures inhabit the subtropical and tropical dry forests of Southeast Asia and the Malay Archipelago. Their cocoons are not only beautiful, but also made of reliable silk used by local residents for their own needs.

7. Goliath beetle

Named after the biblical giant Goliath, these beetles are unrivaled in their weight and giant size. These vegetarian beetles live in tropical African forests and eat fruit and tree sap, as well as animal excrement, recycling “used” material. Regardless of their usual nutritional preferences, in captivity they grow from an egg to a full-fledged beetle, eat cat or dog food, and need in large numbers squirrel. Males can grow up to 12 cm in length and weigh up to 3.5 ounces. As a pet, the beetle can live for a maximum of a year in the last phase of its life. In the wild, Goliaths live even less due to predators.

8. Giant Ueta

This insect resembles a huge grasshopper and lives in New Zealand. Of the 70 known species of Weta, 16 are endangered due to human impact (destruction natural environment habitats) and the introduction of non-native predators such as hedgehogs, cats, rats and mastelids (a family of weasels). These nocturnal beetles are primarily herbivores but also eat smaller insects. They can live anywhere from your home garden, to caves, forests, under rocks or rotting tree trunks, and even in self-dug burrows. It is worth noting that the heaviest insect found was the giant ueta, weighing 70 grams.

9. Giant stick insect

The giant stick insect is the longest insect. An expert in camouflage, this guy is 55cm long and has very long legs. The representative of the Phasmida squad is a nocturnal creature. The giant stick insect hides during the day (under the leaves, which are its versatile snack) and comes out at night. It lives predominantly in tropical and subtropical regions, although there are varieties in more temperate parts. They are very tenacious and can easily lose a limb to escape a predator.

10.Beetle Titan

Titanus giganteus is one of the largest beetles in the world. The titan beetle lives in the Amazon rainforest, can grow up to seven inches in length, and has jaws so strong it can rip a pencil in two and bite flesh. Females are very rare: they spend their time waiting for the male to fertilize the eggs. Males, on the other hand, can be seen crawling through trees, and even flying short distances - they are so big that they often have trouble taking off from the ground! They spend their entire short life in beetle form looking for a mating partner, and may not even eat, relying on their energy reserves from the pupal stage.