What is the largest insect in the world?
The largest insect in the world is a subject that arouses a lot of interest and curiosity. The insect kingdom is vast and diverse, and finding the largest specimens requires careful research. In this article, we will discuss some of the largest insects in different categories and find out which one can be crowned the world’s largest.
The world’s largest insects
When we talk about the world’s largest insect, we can look at different metrics such as length, weight and wingspan. Here are a few contenders for the title of world’s largest insect:
- Goliath beetle (Goliathus goliatus): This African beetle is one of the heaviest insects in the world. Adult individuals can weigh up to 100 grams and be 11 centimeters long.
- Hercules beetle (Dynastes hercules): This South and Central American beetle can grow up to 17 centimeters long, including its long horns. It is one of the longest insects in the world.
- Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing butterfly (Ornithoptera alexandrae): This butterfly living in Papua New Guinea is the largest butterfly in the world measured by wingspan. Its wingspan can be up to 30 centimeters.
- Weta (Deinacrida heteracantha): The giant weta living in New Zealand is one of the heaviest insects in the world. It can weigh up to 70 grams and be about 10 centimeters long.
Which is the biggest?
When taking into account different metrics such as length, weight and wingspan, it is difficult to name a single largest insect in the world. However, if we look holistically at all these factors, we can say that the Hercules beetle (Dynastes hercules) is a strong candidate to be the largest insect in the world based on length. On the other hand, Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing (Ornithoptera alexandrae) is the largest in wingspan.
Sources
You can find more information about the world’s largest insects from the following sources:
