There are over a million kinds of insects known to science, and many more have yet to be found. They are the most varied and common group of animals on Earth. From tiny bugs to huge beetles, insects come in all shapes and sizes.
When it comes to length and weight, some insects are as big as small birds, animals, and snakes. Here are 10 of the world’s biggest insects and some interesting facts about how they live and what they look like.
1. Goliath Bug
The goliath beetle is the world’s largest bug. It can weigh up to 100 grams (3.5 ounces) and is up to 11 centimeters (4.3 inches) long. These huge bugs are from Africa, where they eat food, sap, and dead animals. Their jaws and horns are very strong, and they use them to fight and dig. The males are usually bigger and more colorful than the females. Their hard wing covers cover their flexible wings, which let them fly.
2. Titan Beetle
There is one bug in the world that is longer than any other. It can grow up to 16.7 centimeters (6.6 inches) long. These beautiful bugs live in the jungles of South America. As larvae, they eat wood, but as adults, they don’t eat. When they feel attacked, they can hiss and bite. Their jaws are so strong that they can break a pencil in half. The males use their long antennae to find the females, who are usually under leaves or in trees.
3. Giant Weta
The giant weta is the heaviest bug. It can weigh up to 70 grams (2.5 ounces) and is up to 10 centimeters (4 inches) long. These huge bugs only live in New Zealand. They like to live in fields, woods, and caves. They are mostly active at night and can’t fly. They eat plants, food, and other insects. They can make a loud noise by rubbing their back legs against their stomachs. Their legs and antennae are spiny.
4. Hercules Beetle
It is said that the hercules beetle has the longest head of any bug in the world. With their horns, males can grow up to 17.5 centimeters (6.9 inches) long, which is longer than their bodies. In the tropical jungles of Central and South America, you can find these beautiful bugs. They eat rotting wood and fruits. They can lift up to 850 times their weight and have a hard shell that keeps them safe from animals that might try to eat them.
5. Atlas Moth
The atlas moth has wings that are up to 30 centimeters (12 inches) long and 400 square centimeters (62 square inches) wide. It is the world’s biggest moth. These beautiful moths are from Asia. As caterpillars, they eat citrus and other plants, but as adults, they don’t eat. Their wings have bright colors and designs that look like the head of a snake or a map. They can also pick up chemicals with their long, feathery arms.
6. Giant Stick Insect
If you count the length of the legs, the giant stick insect is the world’s biggest bug. Females can be as long as 56.7 cm (22.3 in), which includes their legs, which can be twice as long as their bodies. These amazing bugs live in Borneo’s lush jungles. They eat leaves and look like twigs to hide from animals that might try to eat them. Their bodies and legs are long and thin, and they can grow back missing limbs.
7. Giant Water Bug
The world’s biggest real bug is the giant water bug, which can grow up to 12 centimeters (4.7 inches) long. You can find these scary bugs in watery places all over the world. They eat fish, frogs, snakes, and even small birds and mammals. They have strong raptorial forelegs that they use to grab their prey and fill them with poison. They can also bite people very painfully. They can fly from one body of water to another with their wings, and in the water, they can breathe through a limb that looks like a mask.
8. Tarantula Hawk
There is one wasp in the world that is bigger than any other. Its wingspan is up to 10 centimeters (4 inches), and its body length is up to 7 centimeters (2.8 inches). These dangerous wasps live in warm parts of Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Australia, where they hunt tarantulas and other big spiders. They can sting with a long, curved stinger that is one of the most painful in the world. They paralyze their food, drag it to a hole, and lay an egg on it. The young spider then eats the adult spider until it turns into a pupa.
9. Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing
There is one butterfly in the world that is bigger than all the others. Its wingspan is up to 31 centimeters (12.2 inches), and its body length is up to 8 centimeters (3.1 inches). These pretty butterflies can only be found in Papua New Guinea. They get their food from flowers and trees. Their wings are shiny and bright, which stands out against their black bodies. The males are less colored and smaller than the females. The tails on their back wings are long and thin.
10. Giant Burrowing Cockroach
The world’s biggest cockroach is the giant burrowing cockroach, which can weigh up to 35 grams (1.2 ounces) and be up to 8 centimeters (3.1 inches) long. These beautiful cockroaches are from Australia. They live in holes and eat dead plants and other organic waste. Because their heads look like rhinocerose horns, they are also called rhinoceros cockroaches. They don’t hurt people and don’t get into homes. They can live up to 10 years.
In conclusion
Some of these bugs are the biggest in the world. They are truly amazing beings that earn our respect and love. They have changed over time to live in different places and ways of life, and they each play a different part in the environment. They also have interesting traits and skills, like horns, wings, bioluminescence, poison, and more. Not only are these bugs very big, but they are also very interesting and important.