5 truly awesome insects

Goliath Beetle – The largest beetle in the world
Goliathus

The Goliath beetles are among the largest insects on Earth, if measured in terms of size, bulk and weight. They are capable of growing up to 150 millimetres (5.9″) in length, and reaching weights in excess of 100 grams (3.5 oz). Apart from their massive size, Goliathus beetles are strikingly patterned as well.

Although there are other giant insects that are longer, or wider than the Goliath Beetle, this guy holds the record for biggest insect because of its mass (or weight). They can grow up to 4.5 inches (11.43 cm) long and weigh up to 3.5 ounces.

Find out more about Goliath Beetle on Wikipedia

Bee Assassins – Vicious bee killers
Apiomerus

Bee Assassin is a conspicuous, brightly colored genus of Assassin Bugs belonging to the family Reduviidae. The species can be found in the United States ranging into tropical America. Bee assassins can fly, and stalk flowering plants that are visited by bees, flies, and other pollinating insects.

Find out more about Bee Assasins on BugGuide
Photo: Marvin

Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing – Largest butterfly in the world
Ornithoptera alexandrae

Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing is the largest butterfly in the world. The species was named by Lord Walter Rothschild in 1907, in honor of Queen Alexandra, wife of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom. The first European to discover the species was Albert Stewart Meek in 1906, a collector employed by Lord Walter Rothschild to collect natural history specimens from Papua New Guinea. Although the first specimen was taken with the aid of a small shotgun, Meek soon discovered the early stages and bred out most of the first specimens. It is restricted to the forests of Oro Province in eastern Papua New Guinea.

The female can reach a wingspan of 31cm (>14 inches), a body length of 8 cm (3.2 inches) and a body mass of up to 12 grams (0.42 oz), all enormous measurements for a butterfly. The female has brown wings with white markings and a cream-colored body with a small section of red fur on its thorax. Males are smaller than females with brown wings that have iridescent blue and green markings and a bright yellow abdomen. The wingspan of the males is approximately 20 cm, but more usually about 16 cm.

Learn more about Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing on Wikipedia
Photo: Mark Pellegrini

Bat Bug – Bugs that feed on bat blood
Cimicidae

Bat bugs feed on most of the common bats, but they are most frequently associated with the big and little brown bats, which roost in colonies. Although bats are their primary host, these bugs also may feed on alternative hosts including birds and rodents. Bat bugs will bite humans in the absence of their primary hosts.

Bat bugs hide in dark, protected sites and they prefer tight, narrow retreats. Bat bugs typically are found in cracks and crevices in bat roosting areas, rather than on the hosts themselves, but they make repeated visits to the host to obtain a blood meal.

We wonder if they feed on bloodsucking bats?

Learn more about Bat Bugs on Wikipedia

Giant African Millipede – Largest millipede in the world
Archispirostreptus gigas

Archispirostreptus gigas, Chongololo or the giant African millipede, is one of the largest of the millipedes, growing up to 11.2 in (28 cm) in length. It lives in tropical and subtropical Africa, in rotting plant life or moist earth, and usually avoids light. It is black in colour, and is often kept as a pet.

In general, giant millipedes have an expected lifespan of about 7-10 years. They can be handled, and are quite docile and slow moving. Giant millipedes have two main modes of defense if they feel threatened: curling into a tight spiral exposing only the hard exoskeleton, and secretion of an irritating liquid from pores on their body. This liquid can be harmful if introduced into the eyes or mouth.

Find out more about the Giant African Centipede at the Oakland Zoo