More than 80 percent of all living things on earth are insects. Currently, science knows about 900 thousand of their different types, and how many are still unknown? Maybe a million, maybe even more. To some they seem scary and disgusting, others are fascinated by their amazing variety.
We want to introduce you to ten species of record-holding insects, among which there are the smallest, most dangerous, most desperate, loudest ...
Largest insect: Ueta, the giant from Barrier Island
Ueta (Deinacrida heteracantha) is a giant insect native to Little Barrier islet in New Zealand. It is the largest and heaviest insect in the world. The weight of one individual reaches 71 grams, and the length is more than 8.5 centimeters. These insects are relatives of grasshoppers and the entire cricket family. Nowadays, the ueta is a very rare endangered species.
The smallest insect:
The tiny insects of the wasp family are the smallest known to science. The homeland of these insects is Costa Rica. The males of this species reach only 0.14 millimeters in length and are smaller in size than the unicellular ciliate-slipper found in lake water. This species feeds on the larvae of other insects.
Most poisonous insect: the maricopa ant
Maricopa ants (Pogonomyrmex Maricopa) are the most poisonous insects in the world, but this in no way threatens humans. The poison of this ant is 25 times stronger than that of a honey bee, but it is released so little that maricopa ants are completely harmless. After reading the title, you've probably thought of some giant Japanese hornet or African killer bee. Everything turned out to be much simpler, the most poisonous insect lives in almost every backyard in America.
The world's longest insect migrations: the red-headed tramp
Pantala flavescens, or, as it is also called, the red-headed tramp. This species of dragonfly has the longest migration in the world of insects. Even the migration of the Monarch butterfly cannot be compared to it. These dragonflies travel from India to East and South Africa and back with monsoons, their path is approximately 14-18 thousand kilometers. In addition, the long travel of these insects makes them easy prey for migratory birds. Thus, if something happens to this species, it will be very difficult for the birds to survive the long flights without constant food.
Fastest-winged insect: southern giant rocker
This dragonfly species is capable of speeds up to 35 miles per hour, making it the fastest-winged insect in the world. Some believe that other insects can fly at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour. Scientists disagree with this statement, however, many consider the issue of flight speed to be very controversial. Opinions were divided between dragonflies, butterflies and horseflies. There are many unconfirmed rumors about the speed of each of these species.
Most terrifying insect: locusta migratoria
Locusta migratoria, or the migratory locust, is perhaps the most terrifying insect known to man. Despite the fact that mosquitoes are to blame for many human deaths, it is the locusts that have always made people scream in horror. Locust swarms are rare these days, but they are still found in some parts of the world: this was the case in Madagascar last year, or, for example, the locust attack in 2004, which affected several countries in West and North Africa and led to losses of 2.5 billion dollars.
The most tenacious insect: the German cockroach
I think few will be surprised at the name of this item. In the sense that everyone has heard something like: after a nuclear war, only cockroaches will survive. And yet there is a rather curious case: the larva of the German cockroach (Blattaria germanica) managed to survive in a very unfavorable environment for it - in the colon of a 52-year-old woman. Apparently, she got there with the food and somehow managed not to suffer from the digestive enzymes in her stomach.
The rarest insect: the stabbing insect from Lord Howe Island
This rather large insect of the stitching family lives on Lord Howe Island between Australia and New Zealand. This species is also an example of what biologists call the Lazarus effect, which is when a species is considered extinct and then found again. The number of Dryococelus australis today is no more than 50 individuals, at the time of its re-discovery there were only 24.
The insect is endangered, however, there is hope for the restoration of the species. The Melbourne Zoo in Australia is trying to breed 9,000 animals under a special program.
Loudest insect: rower
The rowboat (Micronecta scholtzi) is a species of cicada and, for its size, is the loudest on earth. The family of cicadas is generally known for their sound, some species can sing with a power of 120 dB. The row is only 2 mm long and is capable of generating 99.2 dB of noise. It can be compared to sitting in the front row in front of an orchestra or the sound of a jackhammer 50 feet away.
Largest insect colony: Argentine ants
Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) have the largest insect colony in the world, they can even compete in numbers with humanity. Scientists have found that insects of this species, which live in America, Europe and Japan, belong to the same colonies, because they refuse to fight each other.
Moreover, a series of experiments showed that these supercolonies could practically be one huge colony of ants, since the participants in the experiments did not show hostility to each other and recognized "their" scent, despite the distance of thousands of miles. In addition, this incredible phenomenon seems to have been created by people who accidentally transported ants from South America to other continents.
More than 80 percent of all living things on earth are insects. Currently, science knows about 900 thousand of their different types, and how many are still unknown? Maybe a million, maybe even more. To some they seem scary and disgusting, others are fascinated by their amazing variety.
We want to introduce you to ten species of record-holding insects, among which there are the smallest, most dangerous, most desperate, loudest ...
Largest insect: Ueta, the giant from Barrier Island
Ueta (Deinacrida heteracantha) is a giant insect native to Little Barrier islet in New Zealand. It is the largest and heaviest insect in the world. The weight of one individual reaches 71 grams, and the length is more than 8.5 centimeters. These insects are relatives of grasshoppers and the entire cricket family. Nowadays, the ueta is a very rare endangered species.
Smallest insect: dicopomorpha echmepterygis
The tiny insects of the wasp family are the smallest known to science. The homeland of these insects is Costa Rica. The males of this species reach only 0.14 millimeters in length and are smaller in size than the unicellular ciliate-slipper found in lake water. This species feeds on the larvae of other insects.
Most poisonous insect: the maricopa ant
Maricopa ants (Pogonomyrmex Maricopa) are the most poisonous insects in the world, but this in no way threatens humans. The poison of this ant is 25 times stronger than that of a honey bee, but it is released so little that maricopa ants are completely harmless. After reading the title, you've probably thought of some giant Japanese hornet or African killer bee. Everything turned out to be much simpler, the most poisonous insect lives in almost every backyard in America.
The world's longest insect migrations: the red-headed tramp
Pantala flavescens, or, as it is also called, the red-headed tramp. This species of dragonfly has the longest migration in the world of insects. Even the migration of the Monarch butterfly cannot be compared to it. These dragonflies travel from India to East and South Africa and back with monsoons, their path is approximately 14-18 thousand kilometers. In addition, the long travel of these insects makes them easy prey for migratory birds. Thus, if something happens to this species, it will be very difficult for the birds to survive the long flights without constant food.
Fastest-winged insect: southern giant rocker
This dragonfly species is capable of speeds up to 35 miles per hour, making it the fastest-winged insect in the world. Some believe that other insects can fly at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour. Scientists disagree with this statement, however, many consider the issue of flight speed to be very controversial. Opinions were divided between dragonflies, butterflies and horseflies. There are many unconfirmed rumors about the speed of each of these species.
Most terrifying insect: locusta migratoria
Locusta migratoria, or the migratory locust, is perhaps the most terrifying insect known to man. Despite the fact that mosquitoes are to blame for many human deaths, it is the locusts that have always made people scream in horror. Locust swarms are rare these days, but they are still found in some parts of the world: this was the case in Madagascar last year, or, for example, the locust attack in 2004, which affected several countries in West and North Africa and led to losses of 2.5 billion dollars.
The most tenacious insect: the German cockroach
I think few will be surprised at the name of this item. In the sense that everyone has heard something like: after a nuclear war, only cockroaches will survive. And yet there is a rather curious case: the larva of the German cockroach (Blattaria germanica) managed to survive in a very unfavorable environment for it - in the colon of a 52-year-old woman. Apparently, she got there with the food and somehow managed not to suffer from the digestive enzymes in her stomach.
The rarest insect: the stabbing insect from Lord Howe Island
This rather large insect of the stitching family lives on Lord Howe Island between Australia and New Zealand. This species is also an example of what biologists call the Lazarus effect, which is when a species is considered extinct and then found again. The number of Dryococelus australis today is no more than 50 individuals, at the time of its re-discovery there were only 24.
The insect is endangered, however, there is hope for the restoration of the species. The Melbourne Zoo in Australia is trying to breed 9,000 animals under a special program.
Loudest insect: rower
The rowboat (Micronecta scholtzi) is a species of cicada and, for its size, is the loudest on earth. The family of cicadas is generally known for their sound, some species can sing with a power of 120 dB. The row is only 2 mm long and is capable of generating 99.2 dB of noise. It can be compared to sitting in the front row in front of an orchestra or the sound of a jackhammer 50 feet away.
Largest insect colony: Argentine ants
Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) have the largest insect colony in the world, they can even compete in numbers with humanity. Scientists have found that insects of this species, which live in America, Europe and Japan, belong to the same colonies, because they refuse to fight each other.
Moreover, a series of experiments showed that these supercolonies could practically be one huge colony of ants, since the participants in the experiments did not show hostility to each other and recognized "their" scent, despite the distance of thousands of miles. In addition, this incredible phenomenon seems to have been created by people who accidentally transported ants from South America to other continents.
More than 80 percent of all living things on earth are insects. Currently, science knows about 900 thousand of their different types, and how many are still unknown? Maybe a million, maybe even more. To some they seem scary and disgusting, others are fascinated by their amazing variety.
We want to introduce you to ten species of record-holding insects, among which there are the smallest, most dangerous, most desperate, loudest ...
Largest insect: Ueta, the giant from Barrier Island
Ueta (Deinacrida heteracantha) is a giant insect native to Little Barrier islet in New Zealand. It is the largest and heaviest insect in the world. The weight of one individual reaches 71 grams, and the length is more than 8.5 centimeters. These insects are relatives of grasshoppers and the entire cricket family. Nowadays, the ueta is a very rare endangered species.
Smallest insect: dicopomorpha echmepterygis
The tiny insects of the wasp family are the smallest known to science. The homeland of these insects is Costa Rica. The males of this species reach only 0.14 millimeters in length and are smaller in size than the unicellular ciliate-slipper found in lake water. This species feeds on the larvae of other insects.
Most poisonous insect: the maricopa ant
Maricopa ants (Pogonomyrmex Maricopa) are the most poisonous insects in the world, but this in no way threatens humans. The poison of this ant is 25 times stronger than that of a honey bee, but it is released so little that maricopa ants are completely harmless. After reading the title, you've probably thought of some giant Japanese hornet or African killer bee. Everything turned out to be much simpler, the most poisonous insect lives in almost every backyard in America.
The world's longest insect migrations: the red-headed tramp
Pantala flavescens, or, as it is also called, the red-headed tramp. This species of dragonfly has the longest migration in the world of insects. Even the migration of the Monarch butterfly cannot be compared to it. These dragonflies travel from India to East and South Africa and back with monsoons, their path is approximately 14-18 thousand kilometers. In addition, the long travel of these insects makes them easy prey for migratory birds. Thus, if something happens to this species, it will be very difficult for the birds to survive the long flights without constant food.
Fastest-winged insect: southern giant rocker
This dragonfly species is capable of speeds up to 35 miles per hour, making it the fastest-winged insect in the world. Some believe that other insects can fly at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour. Scientists disagree with this statement, however, many consider the issue of flight speed to be very controversial. Opinions were divided between dragonflies, butterflies and horseflies. There are many unconfirmed rumors about the speed of each of these species.
Most terrifying insect: locusta migratoria
Locusta migratoria, or the migratory locust, is perhaps the most terrifying insect known to man. Despite the fact that mosquitoes are to blame for many human deaths, it is the locusts that have always made people scream in horror. Locust swarms are rare these days, but they are still found in some parts of the world: this was the case in Madagascar last year, or, for example, the locust attack in 2004, which affected several countries in West and North Africa and led to losses of 2.5 billion dollars.
The most tenacious insect: the German cockroach
I think few will be surprised at the name of this item. In the sense that everyone has heard something like: after a nuclear war, only cockroaches will survive. And yet there is a rather curious case: the larva of the German cockroach (Blattaria germanica) managed to survive in a very unfavorable environment for it - in the colon of a 52-year-old woman. Apparently, she got there with the food and somehow managed not to suffer from the digestive enzymes in her stomach.
The rarest insect: the stabbing insect from Lord Howe Island
This rather large insect of the stitching family lives on Lord Howe Island between Australia and New Zealand. This species is also an example of what biologists call the Lazarus effect, which is when a species is considered extinct and then found again. The number of Dryococelus australis today is no more than 50 individuals, at the time of its re-discovery there were only 24.
The insect is endangered, however, there is hope for the restoration of the species. The Melbourne Zoo in Australia is trying to breed 9,000 animals under a special program.
Loudest insect: rower
The rowboat (Micronecta scholtzi) is a species of cicada and, for its size, is the loudest on earth. The family of cicadas is generally known for their sound, some species can sing with a power of 120 dB. The row is only 2 mm long and is capable of generating 99.2 dB of noise. It can be compared to sitting in the front row in front of an orchestra or the sound of a jackhammer 50 feet away.
Largest insect colony: Argentine ants
Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) have the largest insect colony in the world, they can even compete in numbers with humanity. Scientists have found that insects of this species, which live in America, Europe and Japan, belong to the same colonies, because they refuse to fight each other.
Moreover, a series of experiments showed that these supercolonies could practically be one huge colony of ants, since the participants in the experiments did not show hostility to each other and recognized "their" scent, despite the distance of thousands of miles. In addition, this incredible phenomenon seems to have been created by people who accidentally transported ants from South America to other continents.
The wingspan of the Queen Alexandra birdwing butterfly is 28 cm; the wingspan of the Athenian blue dwarf butterfly is only 1.4 cm. If all the offspring of just one pair of fruit flies survived and multiplied, then a year later, with the appearance of the 25th generation, these flies would form a ball the size of the Earth to the Sun ...
The record for flying speed among insects is considered to be a hawk moth, flying at a speed of 53.6 km / h, but it seems to be cheating by using a tailwind. The more realistic figure is 28.5 km / h; the dragonfly anax parthenops flies at such a speed.
Among the most ancient fossilized remains of insects, which are more than 300 million years old, are the wings of cockroaches. Try to catch a cockroach, and you will see that it is very difficult. Cockroaches are excellent sprinters, they run 30 cm per second, but this is only 1.8 km / h.
The so-called killer bees are a special type of African honeybees that very often attack humans and animals. Over the past 3 years, more than 70 people have died from their bites in Venezuela.
Male cicadas make the loudest sounds among all insects, vibrating with ribbed plates in two resonator cavities on the abdomen. The sound of cicadas is heard at a distance of over 400 m.
The largest order of insects is the order of cruel-winged beetles. There are about 330 thousand species in it, which is almost a third of the species of insects known to science.
The tallest termite mound found in Africa was 12.8 m high; in diameter, it was only 3 m.
The tiny invisible mosquito makes 62,760 beats per minute with its furry wings. There are reports that queens of some species of termites live up to 50 years, although their average lifespan is 15 years.
The sweetest, in the truest sense of the word, insects are aphids. About 5 billion individuals can feed on one hectare of plants. They annually release up to 2 tons of sugars into the soil in the form of honeydew.
The heavyweight champion of insects is the massively carapaced African goliath beetle. Its whole reaches 100 grams.
More than 80 percent of all living things on earth are insects. Currently, science knows about 900 thousand of their different types, and how many are still unknown? Maybe a million, maybe even more. To some they seem scary and disgusting, others are fascinated by their amazing variety.
We want to introduce you to ten species of record-holding insects, among which there are the smallest, most dangerous, most desperate, loudest ...
Largest insect: Ueta, the giant from Barrier Island
Ueta (Deinacrida heteracantha) is a giant insect native to Little Barrier islet in New Zealand. It is the largest and heaviest insect in the world. The weight of one individual reaches 71 grams, and the length is more than 8.5 centimeters. These insects are relatives of grasshoppers and the entire cricket family. Nowadays, the ueta is a very rare endangered species.
Smallest insect: dicopomorpha echmepterygis
The tiny insects of the wasp family are the smallest known to science. The homeland of these insects is Costa Rica. The males of this species reach only 0.14 millimeters in length and are smaller in size than the unicellular ciliate-slipper found in lake water. This species feeds on the larvae of other insects.
Most poisonous insect: the maricopa ant
Maricopa ants (Pogonomyrmex Maricopa) are the most poisonous insects in the world, but this in no way threatens humans. The poison of this ant is 25 times stronger than that of a honey bee, but it is released so little that maricopa ants are completely harmless. After reading the title, you've probably thought of some giant Japanese hornet or African killer bee. Everything turned out to be much simpler, the most poisonous insect lives in almost every backyard in America.
The world's longest insect migrations: the red-headed tramp
Pantala flavescens, or, as it is also called, the red-headed tramp. This species of dragonfly has the longest migration in the world of insects. Even the migration of the Monarch butterfly cannot be compared to it. These dragonflies travel from India to East and South Africa and back with monsoons, their path is approximately 14-18 thousand kilometers. In addition, the long travel of these insects makes them easy prey for migratory birds. Thus, if something happens to this species, it will be very difficult for the birds to survive the long flights without constant food.
Fastest-winged insect: southern giant rocker
This dragonfly species is capable of speeds up to 35 miles per hour, making it the fastest-winged insect in the world. Some believe that other insects can fly at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour. Scientists disagree with this statement, however, many consider the issue of flight speed to be very controversial. Opinions were divided between dragonflies, butterflies and horseflies. There are many unconfirmed rumors about the speed of each of these species.
Most terrifying insect: locusta migratoria
Locusta migratoria, or the migratory locust, is perhaps the most terrifying insect known to man. Despite the fact that mosquitoes are to blame for many human deaths, it is the locusts that have always made people scream in horror. Locust swarms are rare these days, but they are still found in some parts of the world: this was the case in Madagascar last year, or, for example, the locust attack in 2004, which affected several countries in West and North Africa and led to losses of 2.5 billion dollars.
The most tenacious insect: the German cockroach
I think few will be surprised at the name of this item. In the sense that everyone has heard something like: after a nuclear war, only cockroaches will survive. And yet there is a rather curious case: the larva of the German cockroach (Blattaria germanica) managed to survive in a very unfavorable environment for it - in the colon of a 52-year-old woman. Apparently, she got there with the food and somehow managed not to suffer from the digestive enzymes in her stomach.
The rarest insect: the stabbing insect from Lord Howe Island
This rather large insect of the stitching family lives on Lord Howe Island between Australia and New Zealand. This species is also an example of what biologists call the Lazarus effect, which is when a species is considered extinct and then found again. The number of Dryococelus australis today is no more than 50 individuals, at the time of its re-discovery there were only 24.
The insect is endangered, however, there is hope for the restoration of the species. The Melbourne Zoo in Australia is trying to breed 9,000 animals under a special program.
Loudest insect: rower
The rowboat (Micronecta scholtzi) is a species of cicada and, for its size, is the loudest on earth. The family of cicadas is generally known for their sound, some species can sing with a power of 120 dB. The row is only 2 mm long and is capable of generating 99.2 dB of noise. It can be compared to sitting in the front row in front of an orchestra or the sound of a jackhammer 50 feet away.
Largest insect colony: Argentine ants
Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) have the largest insect colony in the world, they can even compete in numbers with humanity. Scientists have found that insects of this species, which live in America, Europe and Japan, belong to the same colonies, because they refuse to fight each other.
Moreover, a series of experiments showed that these supercolonies could practically be one huge colony of ants, since the participants in the experiments did not show hostility to each other and recognized "their" scent, despite the distance of thousands of miles. In addition, this incredible phenomenon seems to have been created by people who accidentally transported ants from South America to other continents.