List of largest insects
Insects, which are a type of arthropod, are the most numerous group of multicellular organisms on the planet, with over a million species identified so far. The title of heaviest insect in the world has many contenders, the most frequently crowned of which is the larval stage of the goliath beetle, Goliathus goliatus, the maximum size of which is at least and. The highest confirmed weight of an adult insect is for a gravid female giant wētā, Deinacrida heteracantha, although it is likely that one of the elephant beetles, Megasoma elephas and Megasoma actaeon, or goliath beetles, both of which can commonly exceed and, can reach a greater weight.
The longest insects are the stick insects, see below.
Representatives of the extinct dragonfly-like order Meganisoptera such as the Carboniferous Meganeura monyi and the Permian Meganeuropsis permiana are the largest insect species ever known. These creatures had a wingspan of some. Their maximum body mass is uncertain, with estimates varying between 34 g and 210 g.
Dragonflies and damselflies (Odonata)
The largest wingspan of any living species of odonate belongs to Megaloprepus caerulatus, reaching 19 centimeters in wingspan. Petalura ingentissima has the largest wingspan of any dragonfly at, although Tetracanthagyna plagiata comes in with a close second of.The largest wing surface area of any living species of odonate belongs to Chlorogomphus papilio, a dragonfly.
The longest body length of any living species of odonate belongs to Mecistogaster lucretia with a body length of.
The heaviest living species of odonate is probably either Petalura ingentissima or Tetracanthagyna plagiata. However, other species such as Anax strenuus and Anotogaster sieboldii and other species in Petalura, Tetracanthagyna,
Anax and Anotogaster could also be contenders.
See also the extinct genera Meganeuropsis and Meganeura, although they are not certain to be included in the modern dragonfly order.
Mayflies (Ephemeroptera)
The largest mayflies are members of the genus Proboscidoplocia from Madagascar. These insects can reach a length of.Palaeodictyoptera (extinct)
The largest insect of the order Palaeodictyoptera, Mazothairos enormis from the Carboniferous period, reached a wingspan of about 85 centimetersGrasshoppers, crickets, and relatives (Orthoptera)
The order Orthoptera contains two suborders, with four infraorders and multiple different families within them both. Most people will be more familiar their common names.The heaviest of this widespread, varied complex of insects is the Little Barrier Island giant wētā, Deinacrida heteracantha, of New Zealand; one specimen weighed and measured nearly, giving it one of the largest insect weights ever known. These heavyweight insects can be over long.
The largest macropredatory Orthopteran is Sia ferox, from the family Stenopelmatidae. It can measure more than and weigh more than. Other species of macropredatory Orthoptera can get almost as large: Sia incisa, Anostostoma australasiae and Motuweta isolata. The giant predatory katydids of the genus Saga aren't quite as robust.
The heaviest katydids are the members of the genus Panoploscelis. The largest species within the genus Saga are almost as heavy.
The katydid Pseudophyllanax imperialis has the largest wingspan of any Orthoptera, at more than. Other genera of Orthoptera can have wingspans almost as large : Arachnacris, Siliquofera, Pseudophyllus, Tropidacris and Titanacris.
The heaviest species of grasshopper are the females of the endangered giant bladder grasshopper; Physophorina livingstoni.
The subspecies Tropidacris cristata dux has the largest wingspan of any grasshopper : at. Other species of Tropidacris and the closely related genus Titanacris can have wingspans almost as large.
The grasshopper Proscopia gigantea has the largest body length of any grasshopper and of any Orthopteran at over. Other species of Proscopia and the closely related genus Pseudoproscopia can reach lengths almost as large.
The largest species of true cricket are the members of the genus Brachytrupes, which can reach a lengths of up to.
Titanopterans (Titanoptera) (extinct)
Related to modern orthopterans, Triassic insects of the extinct suborder of Titanoptera surpassed them in size. The wingspan of Gigatitan vulgaris was as large as of 40 centimetres. Clatrotitan andersoni also reached a huge size, having a forewing of 13.8 centimetres long.Earwigs (Dermaptera)
The largest of the earwigs is the Saint Helena earwig, which is up to in length. There are no recent records of this species and it is generally considered extinct. The largest certainly living species is the Australian giant earwig, which is about long.Scorpionflies (Mecoptera)
The largest scorpionfly, the common scorpionfly, can reach a body length of about.Stick insects (Phasmatodea)
Image:Giant Stick Insect on Sylvain.jpg|thumb|Phobaeticus serratipes, one of the longest stick insectsThe longest known stick insects are also the longest known insects, notably species in the tribe Pharnaciini, but they are generally relatively lightweight because of their slender shape. Female of these stick insects usually reach considerably larger sizes than males of the same species. The longest known is a currently undescribed species of Phryganistria, informally referred to as Phryganistria "chinensis", that was discovered in China in 2014. A wild collected female kept at the Insect Museum of West China in Chengdu was the record holder with a total length, including extended legs, of, and a body length of, but it was surpassed by one of its captive bred young that reached in total length.
Other very large species, formerly believed to be longest but now considered second longest is Phobaeticus chani; a specimen held in the Natural History Museum in London is in total length, including extended legs, and it has a body length of. Females of the Australian Ctenomorpha gargantua have been confirmed at up to in total length ; one captive individual was measured at, but that size remains unconfirmed. Another very large species is Phobaeticus kirbyi where the total length is up to and the body alone up to. Another of the longest insect in terms of total length is Phobaeticus serratipes of Malaysia and Singapore, measuring up to in total length.
The spiny stick insect of Southeast Asia does not reach the extreme lengths of its cousins, the body reaching up to long, but it is much bulkier. The largest Heteropteryx weighed about and was wide across the thickest part of the body.
Cockroaches and termites (Blattodea)
The largest cockroach in length and wingspan is the South American Megaloblatta longipennis, at up to and, respectively. Other contenders for longest are Blaberus giganteus, which is found in the same general region and may reach a length of up to, depending on source, and Princisia vanwaerebeki of Madagascar, which grows between 5.6 and 10 cm in length. The heaviest is the Australian giant burrowing cockroach, which can attain a length of and a weight of.Termites
The largest of the termites is the African species Macrotermes bellicosus. The queen of this species can attain a length of and breadth of ; other adults, however, are about a third of this size.Praying mantises (Mantodea)
The giant stick mantises Toxodera maxima and Ischnomantis gigas can reach lengths of over 17 cm, but are more gracile in build than other large mantises. Other species of Toxodera and Ischnomantis, and other genera of “stick mantises”, can attain lengths almost as large.Mantises of the tribe Hierodulini can reach lengths of nearly and are more robust than comparably sized mantises of other genera. Some larger species have been known to capture and consume frogs, lizards, mice, small birds, small fish and even small snakes.
True bugs (Hemiptera)
The heaviest species of this order are the giant water bugs Lethocerus grandis and Lethocerus maximus. These can surpass a length of, although they are more slender and less heavy than most other insects of this size.The largest wingspan of any hemipteran belongs to the largest species of cicada: Megapomponia imperatoria, which has a head-body length of about and a wingspan of. The cicadas of the genus Tacua can also grow to comparably large sizes.
The largest total length of any hemipteran belongs to Gigantometra gigas, which has a leg span of more than.
The largest type of aphid is the giant oak aphid, which can reach an overall length of. The biggest species of leafhopper is Ledromorpha planirostris, which can reach a length of.
Dobsonflies and relatives (Megaloptera)
Megaloptera includes dobsonflies, alderflies and relatives. The largest is the dobsonfly Acanthacorydalis fruhstorferi, which can have a wingspan of up to, making it the largest aquatic insect in the world by this measurement. This species is native to China and Vietnam, and its body can be up to long.Net-winged insects (Neuroptera)
These flying insects reach their largest size in Palparellus voeltzkowi, which can have a wingspan over. The largest lacewing is the Australian "blue eyes lacewing", which can measure up to in length and span across the wings. Some forms of this ancient order could grow extremely large during the Jurassic period and may have ranked among the largest insects ever. Found in the Early Cretaceous sedimentary rocks, Makarkinia adamsi had wings nearly in length.Lice (Psocodea)
The largest of this order of very small insects is the barklouse of the genus Psocus, the maximum size of which is about 1 cm.Parasitic lice are insects within the infraorder Phthiraptera. The largest known species is the hog louse, Haematopinus suis, a sucking louse that lives on large livestock like pigs and cattle. It can range up to in length.
Stoneflies (Plecoptera)
The largest species of stonefly is Pteronarcys californica of western North America, a species favored by fishermen as lures. This species can attain a length of and a wingspan of over.Beetles (Coleoptera)
Beetles constitute the most diverse order of organisms on earth, with about 400,000 species identified to this day. The most massive of them belong to the genera Goliathus, Megasoma, Chalcosoma, Titanus, Macrodontia, and Xixuthrus. The longest is the Hercules beetle, Dynastes hercules, with a maximum overall length of at least including the very long pronotal horn. The longest overall beetle is a species of longhorn beetle, Batocera wallacei, from New Guinea, which can attain a length of, about of which is comprised by the long antennae.Gladiators and ice crawlers (Notoptera)
The largest known species of mantophasmid and by extension the largest known Notopteran, is Tyrannophasma gladiator, measuring up to 3.2 cm in length.The largest ice crawler species, Grylloblatta campodeiformis, is long, excluding ovipositors and cerci, and are fairly elongate, wingless insects. They are a uniform honey-yellow in colour and covered with very short hair. Unlike some other species of grylloblatid, G. campodeiformis has eyes which have roughly 70 facets. The head is fairly flat and rounded. The thorax is elongate and over a third of the body length. The abdomen is composed of 10 segments and over half the body length. The legs are long and narrow with stout coxae and long femora. Their antennae are long ~ and thread-like. In adults, the number of antennal subsegments is variable, ranging from 24 to 27.
Ants, bees, and wasps (Hymenoptera)
The largest of ants, and the heaviest species of the family, are the queens of Dorylus helvolus, reaching a length of.The largest non-queen ants are the soldiers of the giant carpenter ant Dinomyrmex gigas.
The largest worker ants and the ant that averages the largest for the mean size of the whole colony is Dinoponera gigantea, averaging up to. Other species of Dinoponera are almost as large.
The largest species of bull ant: Myrmecia brevinoda, has the longest worker ants in the world; reaching lengths of. However, they aren't quite as robust as Dinomyrmex gigas and Dinoponera gigantea. Queens are more than in length wingspan.
The largest wingspan of any wasp belongs to the so-called tarantula hawk species Pepsis heros, measuring up to in wingspan, although other species of Pepsis and the closely related Hemipepsis can approach similar sizes, and other species of wasp can probably attain greater weights.
The heaviest wasp is probably the giant scoliid wasp Megascolia procer, it can reach a body length of over and have a wingspan of.
The largest known social wasps are the queens of the Asian giant hornet. They can have a body length exceeding and a wingspan.
Butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera)
Image:MP - Ornithoptera alexandrae 3.jpg|thumb|The Queen Alexandra's birdwing is the largest species of butterfly.The largest lepidopteran species overall is often claimed to be either the Queen Alexandra's birdwing, a butterfly from Papua New Guinea, or the Atlas moth, a moth from Southeast Asia. Both of these species can reach a body length of, a wingspan of and a weight of. One Atlas moth allegedly had a wingspan of but this measurement was not verified. The larvae of these two species can weigh up to, respectively.
However, the white witch of Central and South America, Thysania agrippina, has the widest recorded wingspan of the order, and indeed of any living insect, at up to. The verified record-sized Thysania spanned across the wings, although specimens have been reported to.
The largest lepidopteran species in terms of adult body mass is the giant wood moth Endoxyla cinereus from Australia and New Zealand. Despite having a smaller wingspan than the other species, it has a mass of about and outweighs them all.
The Hercules moth, in the family Saturniidae, is endemic to New Guinea and northern Australia, and its wings have the largest documented surface area of any living insect, and a maximum wingspan which is confirmed to while unconfirmed specimens have spanned up to.
True flies (Diptera)
The largest total length of any fly belongs to the largest species of crane fly: Holorusia clavipes. If the legs are extended in front of and behind the body, then an overall length of makes it the longest true fly. It also probably has the largest wingspan of any Diptera at over.Gauromydas heros has the largest wing surface area of any Diptera. It might also have the longest body length of any fly at .
The heaviest flies are the timber flies from the genus Pantophthalmus.
The largest members of Asilidae are almost as bulky.