The title of this article is: The largest insects in the world. Therefore, the list that we will make will differ from others with the same title in that we will only expose insects. Therefore, no spiders, centipedes, scallops or other related bugs will appear.
The identification of any insect is clear and precise: an insect is an arthropod (jointed legs), possessing 3 pairs of legs. That is, 6 legs in total; not 8-legged, 10-legged, or 42-legged.
If you decide to continue reading this post, you will find out through our site which are the world's largest insects discovered so far.
Coleoptera
Among the beetles (beetles), there are various species of enormous size:
Titan Beetle
The Titanus giganteus belongs to the family of the Cerambycids that are significant for the great length and elegant arrangement of their antennae. It is the largest beetle currently known. It can measure 17 cm. from the head to the end of the abdomen (not counting the length of its graceful antennae). It has powerful jaws capable of cutting a pencil in two.
Macrodontia cervicornis
This huge cerambycid competes with the titan beetle for the title of largest beetle on the planet. It has huge jaws, and is so big that it carries parasites (even small beetles) between its wings.
Image from jennsinasac.blogspot.com:
Hercules beetle
Dynastes hercules is the third beetle in contention for the title of largest. It belongs to the Scarab family, and the long and powerful horns that characterize the males can be larger than the beetle's own body.
Phasmatodea and Mantids
The giant stick insect
The giant stick insect or Phobaeticus serratipe, can reach a length of 55 cm. Singapore and Malaysia are the places where this spectacular insect is found.
Image from 1.bp.blogspot.com:
The giant Asian mantis
The giant Asian mantis, also known as Hierodula membranacea, is the largest mantis in the world. This large insect has become a pet thanks to its enormous ease of maintenance and its spectacular ferocity. The mantids do not kill their prey, once they have caught them they begin to devour them live until the end is reached.
lucasotojulian's picture:
Orthoptera and Hemiptera
The Giant Weta
By its Latin name Deinacrida fallai, the giant weta is a huge orthoptera insect (cricket family) that can measure up to 20 cm. He is from New Zealand. Despite its size, it is a gentle insect.
The Giant Water Bug
Lethocerus indicus, is the largest aquatic hemiptera insect. This water bug and other minor ones are eaten in Vietnamese and Thai cuisine. It has large jaws with which it can kill fish, frogs, and other insects. It can reach 12 cm.
The fact that they have been exported to the United States has led to the creation of farms to breed these insects.
Blatidae and Lepidoptera
The giant Madagascar cockroach
The giant Madagascar cockroach, or Gromphadorhina portentosa, is a huge blattid native to Madagascar. These insects have become pets as they are gentle and neither sting nor bite. In captivity they can live 5 years. These large cockroaches are capable of hissing.
Image from postimg.org:
The atlas butterfly
This large butterfly, Attacus atlas, is the largest lepidoptera in the world, with a wing area of 400 cm2. Females are larger than males.
The Emperor Butterfly
The famous Thysania agrippina, also known as the white devil or ghost butterfly, is the Lepidoptera with the largest wingspan. It can measure 30 cm. from tip to tip of its great wings.
Image from elfaro.net:
Megaloptera and odonata
The Chinese Dobson Fly
Also called Giant Dobsonfly, it is a gigantic megalopteran with a wingspan of 21 cm. This insect lives in ponds and shallow waters in China and Vietman, provided that these waters are clean of contaminants. It resembles a great dragonfly with hyper-developed jaws.
Image from cde.peru.com:
The giant helicopter horse
Magrelopepus caerulatus, is a beautiful zygoptera that combines beauty with great size. Its wingspan reaches up to 19 cm., with wings that look like glass and a very thin abdomen.
Image from flickr.com:
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