science

List of largest insects

List of largest insects is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand List of largest insects rather than just read about it. In short: 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 115 g (4.1 oz) and 11.5 cm (4.5 in).

Key takeaways

List of largest insects belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect List of largest insects to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of List of largest insects from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

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 115 g (4.1 oz) and 11.5 cm (4.5 in). The highest confirmed weight of an adult insect is 71 g (2.5 oz) 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 50 g (1.8 oz) and 10 cm (3.9 in), can reach a greater weight. The longest insects are the stick insects, see below. Representatives of the extinct dragonfly-like order Meganisoptera (also known as griffenflies) 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 71 cm (28 in). 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 (the order that includes dragonflies and damselflies) belongs to Megaloprepus caerulatus, reaching 19 centimeters (7.5 inches) in wingspan. Petalura ingentissima has the largest wingspan of any dragonfly at 165 mm (6.5 in), although Tetracanthagyna plagiata comes in with a close second of 163 mm (6.4 in). 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 155 mm (6.1 in). 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 5 cm (2.0 in).

Palaeodictyoptera (extinct)

The largest insect of the order Palaeodictyoptera, Mazothairos enormis from the Carboniferous period, with estimated wingspan about 56 cm (22 in).

Grasshoppers, crickets, and relatives (Orthoptera)

The order Orthoptera contains two suborders (Caelifera and Ensifera), with four infraorders (Gryllidea, Tettigoniidea, Tridactylidea, and Acrididea) and multiple different families within them both. The heaviest of this widespread, varied complex of insects is the Little Barrier Island giant wētā, Deinacrida heteracantha, of New Zealand; one specimen weighed 71 g (2.5 oz) and measured nearly 10 cm (3.9 in), giving it one of the largest insect weights ever known. These heavyweight insects can be over 9 cm (3.5 in) long. The largest (heaviest) macropredatory (animal that will eat prey of a similar size or larger than itself) Orthopteran is Sia ferox (also known as "Riokku" (リオック) or the "Giant Raspy Cricket"), from the family Stenopelmatidae (suborder Ensifera). It can measure more than 9 cm (3.5 in) and weigh more than 35 g (1.2 oz). Other species of macropredatory Orthoptera can get almost as large: Sia incisa, Anostostoma australasiae and Motuweta isolata (all from the superfamily Stenopelmatoidea). The giant predatory katydids (family Tettigoniidae) of the genus Saga aren't quite as robust. The heaviest katydids (family Tettigoniidae) are the members of the genus Panoploscelis (The "spiny lobster katydids"). The largest species within the genus Saga are almost as heavy. The katydid (family Tettigoniidae) Pseudophyllanax imperialis has the largest wingspan of any Orthoptera, at more than 26 cm (10 in). Other genera of Orthoptera can have wingspans almost as large (over 25 cm (9.8 in)): Arachnacris, Siliquofera, Pseudophyllus, Tropidacris and Titanacris. The heaviest species of grasshopper (nanorder Acridomorpha) are the females of the endangered giant bladder grasshopper; Physophorina livingstoni. The subspecies Tropidacris cristata dux has the largest wingspan of any grasshopper (nanorder Acridomorpha): at 25 cm (9.8 in). 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 (nanorder Acridomorpha) and of any Orthopteran at over 18 cm (7.1 in). Other species of Proscopia and the closely related genus Pseudoproscopia (all from the family Proscopiidae) can reach lengths almost as large (over 17 cm (6.7 in)). The largest species of true cricket (Grylloidea) are the members of the genus Brachytrupes, which can reach a lengths of up to 7.5 cm (3.0 in).

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 (16 in). Clatrotitan andersoni also reached a huge size, having a forewing of 13.8 centimetres (5.4 in) long.

Earwigs (Dermaptera)

The largest of the earwigs is the Saint Helena earwig (Labidura herculeana), which is up to 8.4 cm (3.3 in) 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 (Titanolabis colossea), which is about 5 cm (2.0 in) long.

Scorpionflies (Mecoptera)

The largest scorpionfly, the common scorpionfly (Panorpa communis), can reach a body length of about 30 mm (1.2 in).

Stick insects (Phasmatodea)

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with List of largest insects

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what List of largest insects claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to List of largest insects before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about List of largest insects ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of List of largest insects

In research: List of largest insects appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses List of largest insects in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: List of largest insects is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Lists of insects, Lists of largest animals, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for List of largest insects outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study List of largest insects in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
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Frequently asked questions

What is List of largest insects in simple terms?

Why does List of largest insects matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study List of largest insects?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on List of largest insects.