Khakhinova Dasha
Insects are a completely special world, not like the world of large animals and humans; it is like another planet, a kind of “parallel space” that we encounter every day, but about which even scientists still know very little.
Insects are the most numerous class among not only arthropods, but also animals in general. There are more than one million species of insects
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State budgetary educational institution
School No. 1368, Moscow
Educational project on the topic
Record-breaking insects
Completed within the subject Biology
Moscow 2017
Work plan
1. Study the characteristics of record-breaking insects.
2. Prepare the book “Record-Breaking Insects.”
3. Make a dictionary.
4. Make a list of references.
5. Diary of work on the project.
Passport
1. Project name – Record-breaking insects.
3. The educational direction of the project is Biology.
4. Type of project – individual, informational.
5. Project manager, position: Abakumova A M, biology teacher.
6. The goal of the project is to study the characteristics of record-breaking insects and create a book.
7. Design stages:
- Carefully study the material about record-breaking insects.
- Find additional literature on the project. Select the material you need.
- Selecting the most important thing from the selected material. Use the material for the theoretical part, creating a presentation and designing the red book.
8. The result of the project work is a book about record-breaking insects.
9. Protect the design work.
Features of record-breaking insects.
More than 80 percent of all living things on earth are insects. Currently, science knows about 900 thousand different types of them. Some people find them scary and disgusting, others are fascinated by their amazing diversity.
Insects are a completely special world, not like the world of large animals and humans; it is like another planet, a kind of “parallel space” that we encounter every day, but about which even scientists still know very little.
Insects are the only class among invertebrate animals whose representatives have wings and are able to fly.
Despite the huge diversity of insects, all of them are characterized by general features. Their body is clearly divided into three sections: head, chest and abdomen. They are movably connected to each other.
On the head there is one pair of antennae, eyes that allow orientation in space, and the oral apparatus necessary for capturing food.
They have two large compound eyes, between which there may be several small simple eyes.
The antennae are very diverse in length, number and shape of segments. They can be filamentous, comb-like, feathery, club-shaped and lamellar.
Insects feed on a variety of foods, and depending on the nature of their diet, they have Various types oral apparatus. Species that feed on solid plant and animal food have gnawing mouthparts (beetles, dragonflies). Species that feed on liquid food (plant juices, animal blood, flower nectar, decomposed tissue remains of plants and animals) have sucking (butterflies), piercing-sucking (lice, mosquitoes), lapping (bees) or licking mouthparts (flies).
The chest consists of three segments called the prothorax, mesothorax and metathorax. Each segment carries one pair of walking limbs. Insects have three pairs of legs. The limbs, like those of all arthropods, consist of segments that are movably connected to each other by joints. This allows the animal to perform a variety of movements. Walking legs can be jumping, they are very elongated in length (in a grasshopper), burrowing - they shorten and become massive (in a mole cricket), swimming (in a diving beetle), collecting (in a bee) and running (in a ground beetle).
The abdomen of insects can contain a different number of segments, with primitive species having more segments. For example, the abdomen of the two-tailed fish consists of 11 segments, while more highly developed ones have only four to five segments. There are no limbs on the abdomen. Primitive species contain underdeveloped limbs on the abdomen, i.e. their rudiments. At the posterior end of the abdomen there may be appendages in the form of an ovipositor (in grasshoppers) or a sting (in bees, wasps).
The body of insects is protected by a cuticle, which is covered on the outside with a waterproof film. It protects the insect from losing water. The integument contains numerous hairs and numerous glands.
Let's get to know internal structure insects Most of internal organs are concentrated in the abdomen.
The digestive system is well developed. On the head is a mouth surrounded by parts oral apparatus. The ducts of the salivary glands open into the oral cavity. The short pharynx continues into a longer and narrower esophagus, which in many species forms an extension - a goiter. In it, food is retained and exposed to digestive enzymes. Behind the goiter is the stomach, followed by the midgut. The midgut continues into the hindgut, which ends at the anus. The liver is missing. Insect food can be very varied. There are herbivorous insects (for example, click beetle larvae living in the soil - wireworms, feed on plant roots; weevils damage apple tree flowers, butterfly caterpillars eat leaves), predatory insects - ladybugs feed on aphids and more small insects, ground beetles eat caterpillars and even earthworms. The gravedigger beetle and gray blowfly feed on animal corpses. Among insects there are omnivores that feed on various plant and animal products, such as cockroaches.
The respiratory system is represented by tracheas. You already know that tracheas are numerous branching tubes that penetrate the entire body of an insect and deliver oxygen to all organs and tissues. The trachea begins with openings, or spiracles, located on the sides of the two posterior segments of the chest and abdominal segments. There are up to 10 pairs of such holes.
The circulatory system, like that of all arthropods, is not closed. The heart is located on the dorsal side and looks like a long tube. A single vessel departs from the heart, going from the heart to the head end of the body. Since insects have a very well developed respiratory tracheal system, the circulatory system does not participate in the transfer of oxygen and carbon dioxide, but serves only to transport nutrients to organs and tissues and remove metabolic products from them. Hemolymph is most often colorless.
The excretory system is represented by Malpighian vessels located at the border of the midgut and hindgut. Each Malpighian vessel looks like a thin tube, the free end of which ends blindly, and the other flows into the intestinal cavity. Number of vessels different types varies from 2 to 200.
The nervous system is represented by a complex suprapharyngeal nerve ganglion - the brain, a subpharyngeal ganglion and an abdominal nerve cord, which is characterized by the fusion of nerve ganglia. The brain consists of three sections: anterior, middle and posterior.
Reproductive system. All insects are dioecious. Many species exhibit sexual dimorphism in color, body size, shape and size of antennae, and the presence or absence of wings. Reproduction is only sexual. They have paired gonads. Males have testes in their abdomen, from which vas deferens extend into the ejaculatory duct. Females have ovaries that open into oviducts that connect to form an unpaired vagina. Fertilization is internal. Viviparity occurs in some species.
What is the reason for such diversity?
The smaller the organisms, the more diverse conditions for their life it can find. Look how many different insects live on just one plant!
Many insects are herbivorous. Their food is pollen and nectar, fruits and seeds, leaves, roots and even wood. These insects often become victims of their predatory counterparts. There are also those who infect other animals with their larvae. And some drink blood from other animals and even humans. Insects - orderlies eat carrion and dead parts of plants. Insects have developed a wide variety of feeding devices: they can chew, gnaw, prick, suck, and lick.
In our everyday life, insects are simply irreplaceable. About thirty percent of the crops we use to produce food are pollinated by bees, most of them wild. But pollination is only a small part of the useful things that insects do. They participate in the cycle of substances in nature, cleaning our earth from the remains of dead plants and animals. Thanks to their tireless work, the soil is enriched and released, so necessary for growth and life. green plants, nutrients.
Amazing facts about insects. Records in insect life.
Insects appeared, according to scientists, in the Devonian period, more than 400 million years ago. Moreover, insects turned out to be the first inhabitants of our planet to master the air environment, and this happened 300 - 320 million years ago. And only 150 million years after this, flying lizards appeared on Earth, and then birds. Since then, insects have made great strides in their development.
Have you ever thought that insects also have their own Record Holders?(Record holder - a person who has set a record).
We would like to introduce you to rare species record-breaking insects, among which are the smallest, the most dangerous, the most desperate and the loudest... And in total, 24 species were studied.
- Longest
- The smallest
- The hardest thing
- The easiest thing
- The strongest
- The most a large number of legs
- The most unusual defense.
- The largest structure built by insects.
- The fastest land insect.
- The best jumper.
- The most dangerous insect.
- The longest living insect.
- The longest beetles
- The smallest butterfly
- The biggest butterfly.
- The longest period of development.
- The shortest life.
- The most prolific insect.
- The most acute sense of smell.
- Longest migration.
- The loudest insects.
- The brightest.
- The sweetest insect.
- The longest mustache.
Longest insect- the stick insect Phamacia kirbyi, living on the island of Borneo, its length can reach 54.6 centimeters. | ||
The smallest insect- pinnate beetle from the family Ptiliidae, their length reaches only 0.3-0.4 millimeters. | ||
The heaviest insect- goliath beetle from the family Scarabaeidae, living in Equatorial Africa, its weight can reach up to 100 grams. | ||
The most powerful insect- Scarab beetle. If the calculation is made in proportion to body size, then the largest beetle of the Scarabaeidae family, living mainly in the tropical climate zone, is considered the strongest. | ||
The largest number of legsThe bipedal centipede Illacme plenipes, which lives in California, USA, has 375 pairs of legs, that is, 750 in total. | ||
The most unusual defenseThe bombardier beetle (genus Brachinus) stores two relatively harmless substances in a special cavity in its abdomen. When the beetle feels that it is in danger, it pumps them into another cavity, where they are mixed with a special enzyme. As a result, a stormy chemical reaction, and a highly heated (up to 100+C) gas is released from the beetle’s anus. The beetle is capable of producing up to 500 gas bursts per second. | ||
The largest structure built by insects- termite mound. The highest dwellings are built by African termites of the species Macrotermes bellicosus. One of them reached a height of 12.8 m. | ||
The fastest land insects- tropical cockroaches of the family Dictyoptera. The registered record belongs to the American cockroach Periplaneta americana - 5.4 kilometers per hour, that is. in one second he ran a distance exceeding his own length by 50 times | ||
The best jumper among insects - cat flea Cteneocephalides fellis. During the experiment, she jumped to a height of 34 centimeters and a length of 19.7 centimeters. | ||
The most dangerous insect- the rat flea Xenopsylla cheopsis, which serves as a carrier of bubonic plague. | ||
The longest living insect- a borer from the family Buprestidae. May 27, 1983 from wooden stairs At the house belonging to W. Euston of Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, UK, the borer Buprestis aurutenta crawled out and spent at least 47 years there in the larval state. | ||
The longest beetles -Hercules beetle. The length from the tip of the abdomen to the tip of the mandibles is 19 cm. The longest beetle excluding mandibles is the woodcutter Titan. Reaching a length of 16.7 cm. | ||
The smallest butterfly– the smallest wingspan among diurnal butterflies is that of the gnome blueberry (Oraidium barberae) from South Africa. The wingspan of males is only 10-15 mm. | ||
The biggest butterfly -The largest wingspan among diurnal butterflies is that of the Alexandra birdwing (Ornithoptera alexandrae). The wingspan of the female reaches 28 cm. | ||
The longest period of development isThis is observed in the seventeen-year cicada (Magicicada septemdesim). It takes 17 years to transform from a larva into an adult insect, during which time the larva goes through 25-30 larval stages. | ||
The shortest life -True mayflies (family phemmeroidae) spend 2-3 years in the larval stage on the bottom of lakes and rivers, while the adult winged stages live 2-3 days, sometimes even just a day. | ||
The most prolific insect- With an unlimited amount of food and the absence of predators, the mass of the descendants of one cabbage aphid in one year could be 822 million tons, which is three times the mass of the entire human population of the globe. | ||
The most acute sense of smell -The male peacock's eye (Saturnia pavonia) can smell the female's sex pheromone within a radius of 1 1 km. The female carries less than 0.0001 mg of this odorous substance. | ||
Farthest migration -A tagged female butterfly released by Donald Davis at Presqu'ile Park near Brighton, Ontario, Canada, on September 6, 1986, was recaptured 3,432 km away on a mountain near Añangueo, Mexico, on January 15, 1987. | ||
The loudest insects - cicadas genus Homoptera, the sounds of males of which (volume up to 120 decibels) can be heard over 400 m | ||
The brightest insect -The brightest fireflies are the famous cuckoos, common in the tropical forests of America. Two luminous organs - green on the chest, and orange on the abdomen. To get light of this brightness you need 6,000 ordinary fireflies. | ||
The sweetest insect -aphid. Every day they release 2 tons of sugar solutions into the soil (5 billion individuals per 1 hectare). Aphids constantly absorb sap so as not to dry out. | ||
The longest mustache -The gray longhorned beetle has the longest whiskers relative to the body among beetles. The male's mustache is 4 times the body length. |
Red Book "Record-breaking insects"
After studying the record-breaking insects, the idea of creating a red book arose. It is convenient to use for preparation additional material for the lesson, it is colorful, the material is accessible.
Literature
1. http://ozhegov.textologia.ru/definit/rekordsmen/?q=742&n=201328
11. http://www.animalsglobe.ru
Dictionary
Insects - a class of invertebrate arthropods. According to the traditional classification, together with centipedes they belong to the tracheal-breathing subtype. Insect A small invertebrate arthropod (flies, bees, ants, bugs, etc.) etc.).
Record holder - the person who set the record.
Entomology - the science that studies insects.
More than 80 percent of all living things on earth are insects. Currently, science knows about 900 thousand different species, but how many are still unknown? Maybe a million, maybe even more. Some people find them scary and disgusting, others are fascinated by their amazing diversity.
We want to introduce you to ten species of record-breaking insects, among which are the smallest, the most dangerous, the most desperate, the loudest...
Largest insect: weta, the Barrier Island giant
The weta (Deinacrida heteracantha) is a giant insect native to Little Barrier Island in New Zealand. This 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 weta is a very rare endangered species.
Smallest insect: dicopomorpha echmepterygis
Tiny insects of the wasp family are the smallest known to science. The homeland of these insects is Costa Rica. Males of this species reach only 0.14 millimeters in length, smaller in size than the single-celled slipper ciliates that can be found in lake water. This species feeds on the larvae of other insects.
The most poisonous insect: the Maricopa ant
Maricopa ants (Pogonomyrmex Maricopa) are the most poisonous insects in the world, but this is in no way a threat to humans. The venom of this ant is 25 times stronger than the venom of the honey bee, but so little of it is released that Maricopa ants are completely harmless. When you read the title, you probably thought of some kind of 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 longest migrations in the insect world: the red tramp
Pantala flavescens or, as it is also called, the red tramp. This species of dragonfly has the longest migration in the insect world. Not even the migration of the Monarch butterfly compares. These dragonflies travel from India to Eastern and Southern Africa and back with the monsoons, their journey is approximately 14-18 thousand kilometers. In addition, the long journey of these insects makes them easy prey for migratory birds. Thus, if anything happens to this species, it will be very difficult for the birds to withstand long flights without constant food.
Fastest winged insect: Southern giant rocker
This species of dragonfly can reach speeds of 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 do not agree with this statement, however, many consider the issue of flight speed to be very controversial. Opinions are divided between dragonflies, butterflies and horseflies. There are many unsubstantiated rumors about the speed of each of these species.
The most terrifying insect: locusta migratoria
Locusta migratoria or migrating locust is perhaps the most terrifying insect known person. Although mosquitoes are to blame for many human deaths, it is locusts that have always made people scream in horror. Locust swarms are rare these days, but do occur 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 by the title 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 a 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 be harmed by the stomach's digestive enzymes.
The rarest insect: the Lord Howe Island piercing insect
This rather large insect of the piercing family lives on Lord Howe Island between Australia and New Zealand. The species is also an example of what biologists call the Lazarus effect, which is when a species is thought to be extinct and then found again. The number of Dryococelus australis today is no more than 50 individuals; at the time of rediscovery 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 thousand individuals under a special program.
The loudest insect: the paddlefish
The cicada (Micronecta scholtzi) is a species of cicada and for its size it is the loudest on earth. The cicada family is generally known for its sound, some species can sing with a force of 120 dB. The comb, having a length of only 2 mm, is capable of creating a noise of 99.2 dB. 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 colony of insects in the world, even rivaling humanity in numbers. Scientists have discovered that insects of this species, found in America, Europe and Japan, belong to the same colonies because they refuse to fight with 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 towards each other and recognized “their” smell, despite the distance of thousands of miles. Additionally, this incredible phenomenon appears 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 different species, but how many are still unknown? Maybe a million, maybe even more. Some people find them scary and disgusting, others are fascinated by their amazing diversity.
We want to introduce you to ten species of record-breaking insects, among which are the smallest, the most dangerous, the most desperate, the loudest...
Largest insect: weta, the Barrier Island giant
The weta (Deinacrida heteracantha) is a giant insect native to Little Barrier Island in New Zealand. This 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 weta is a very rare endangered species.
Smallest insect: dicopomorpha echmepterygis
Tiny insects of the wasp family are the smallest known to science. The homeland of these insects is Costa Rica. Males of this species reach only 0.14 millimeters in length, smaller in size than the single-celled slipper ciliates that can be found in lake water. This species feeds on the larvae of other insects.
The most poisonous insect: the Maricopa ant
Maricopa ants (Pogonomyrmex Maricopa) are the most poisonous insects in the world, but this is in no way a threat to humans. The venom of this ant is 25 times stronger than the venom of the honey bee, but so little of it is released that Maricopa ants are completely harmless. When you read the title, you probably thought of some kind of 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 longest migrations in the insect world: the red tramp
Pantala flavescens or, as it is also called, the red tramp. This species of dragonfly has the longest migration in the insect world. Not even the migration of the Monarch butterfly compares. These dragonflies travel from India to Eastern and Southern Africa and back with the monsoons, their journey is approximately 14-18 thousand kilometers. In addition, the long journey of these insects makes them easy prey for migratory birds. Thus, if anything happens to this species, it will be very difficult for the birds to withstand long flights without constant food.
Fastest winged insect: Southern giant rocker
This species of dragonfly can reach speeds of 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 do not agree with this statement, however, many consider the issue of flight speed to be very controversial. Opinions are divided between dragonflies, butterflies and horseflies. There are many unsubstantiated rumors about the speed of each of these species.
The most terrifying insect: locusta migratoria
The Locusta migratoria or migrating locust is perhaps the most terrifying insect known to man. Although mosquitoes are to blame for many human deaths, it is locusts that have always made people scream in horror. Locust swarms are rare these days, but do occur 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 by the title 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 a 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 be harmed by the stomach's digestive enzymes.
The rarest insect: the Lord Howe Island piercing insect
This rather large insect of the piercing family lives on Lord Howe Island between Australia and New Zealand. The species is also an example of what biologists call the Lazarus effect, which is when a species is thought to be extinct and then found again. The number of Dryococelus australis today is no more than 50 individuals; at the time of rediscovery 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 thousand individuals under a special program.
The loudest insect: the paddlefish
The cicada (Micronecta scholtzi) is a species of cicada and for its size it is the loudest on earth. The cicada family is generally known for its sound, some species can sing with a force of 120 dB. The comb, having a length of only 2 mm, is capable of creating a noise of 99.2 dB. 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 colony of insects in the world, even rivaling humanity in numbers. Scientists have discovered that insects of this species, found in America, Europe and Japan, belong to the same colonies because they refuse to fight with 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 towards each other and recognized “their” smell, despite the distance of thousands of miles. Additionally, this incredible phenomenon appears 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 different species, but how many are still unknown? Maybe a million, maybe even more. Some people find them scary and disgusting, others are fascinated by their amazing diversity.
We want to introduce you to ten species of record-breaking insects, among which are the smallest, the most dangerous, the most desperate, the loudest...
Largest insect:weta, the Barrier Island giant
The weta (Deinacrida heteracantha) is a giant insect native to Little Barrier Island in New Zealand. This 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 weta is a very rare endangered species.
Smallest insect:dicopomorpha echmepterygis
Tiny insects of the wasp family are the smallest known to science. The homeland of these insects is Costa Rica. Males of this species reach only 0.14 millimeters in length, smaller in size than the single-celled slipper ciliates that can be found in lake water. This species feeds on the larvae of other insects.
The most poisonous insect:Maricopa ant
Maricopa ants (Pogonomyrmex Maricopa) are the most poisonous insects in the world, but this is in no way a threat to humans. The venom of this ant is 25 times stronger than the venom of the honey bee, but so little of it is released that Maricopa ants are completely harmless. When you read the title, you probably thought of some kind of 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 longest migrations in the insect world:tramp redhead
Pantala flavescens or, as it is also called, the red tramp. This species of dragonfly has the longest migration in the insect world. Not even the migration of the Monarch butterfly compares. These dragonflies travel from India to Eastern and Southern Africa and back with the monsoons, their journey is approximately 14-18 thousand kilometers. In addition, the long journey of these insects makes them easy prey for migratory birds. Thus, if anything happens to this species, it will be very difficult for the birds to withstand long flights without constant food.
The fastest winged insect:southern giant rocker
This species of dragonfly can reach speeds of 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 do not agree with this statement, however, many consider the issue of flight speed to be very controversial. Opinions are divided between dragonflies, butterflies and horseflies. There are many unsubstantiated rumors about the speed of each of these species.
The most terrifying insect:locusta migratoria
The Locusta migratoria or migrating locust is perhaps the most terrifying insect known to man. Although mosquitoes are to blame for many human deaths, it is locusts that have always made people scream in horror. Locust swarms are rare these days, but do occur 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:german cockroach
I think few will be surprised by the title 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 a 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 be harmed by the stomach's digestive enzymes.
The rarest insect: kLord Howe Island barking insect
This rather large insect of the piercing family lives on Lord Howe Island between Australia and New Zealand. The species is also an example of what biologists call the Lazarus effect, which is when a species is thought to be extinct and then found again. The number of Dryococelus australis today is no more than 50 individuals; at the time of rediscovery 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 thousand individuals under a special program.
Loudest insect: rguy
The cicada (Micronecta scholtzi) is a species of cicada and for its size it is the loudest on earth. The cicada family is generally known for its sound, some species can sing with a force of 120 dB. The comb, having a length of only 2 mm, is capable of creating a noise of 99.2 dB. 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: aArgentina ants
Argentine ants (Linepithema humile) have the largest colony of insects in the world, even rivaling humanity in numbers. Scientists have discovered that insects of this species, found in America, Europe and Japan, belong to the same colonies because they refuse to fight with 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 towards each other and recognized “their” smell, despite the distance of thousands of miles. Additionally, this incredible phenomenon appears to have been created by people who accidentally transported ants from South America to other continents.
Insects are record holders.
More than 80 percent of all living things on earth are insects. Currently, science knows about 900 thousand different species, but how many are still unknown? Maybe a million, maybe even more. Some people find them scary and disgusting, others are fascinated by their amazing diversity.
We want to introduce you to ten species of record-breaking insects, among which are the smallest, the most dangerous, the most desperate, the loudest...
Largest insect: weta, the Barrier Island giant.
The weta (Deinacrida heteracantha) is a giant insect native to Little Barrier Island in New Zealand. This 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 weta is a very rare endangered species.
Smallest insect: dicopomorpha echmepterygis
Tiny insects of the wasp family are the smallest known to science. The homeland of these insects is Costa Rica. Males of this species reach only 0.14 millimeters in length, smaller in size than the single-celled slipper ciliates that can be found in lake water. This species feeds on the larvae of other insects.
The most poisonous insect: the Maricopa ant
Maricopa ants (Pogonomyrmex Maricopa) are the most poisonous insects in the world, but this is in no way a threat to humans. The venom of this ant is 25 times stronger than the venom of the honey bee, but so little of it is released that Maricopa ants are completely harmless. When you read the title, you probably thought of some kind of 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 longest migrations in the insect world: the red tramp
Pantala flavescens or, as it is also called, the red tramp. This species of dragonfly has the longest migration in the insect world. Not even the migration of the Monarch butterfly compares. These dragonflies travel from India to Eastern and Southern Africa and back with the monsoons, their journey is approximately 14-18 thousand kilometers. In addition, the long journey of these insects makes them easy prey for migratory birds. Thus, if anything happens to this species, it will be very difficult for the birds to withstand long flights without constant food.
Fastest winged insect: Southern giant rocker
This species of dragonfly can reach speeds of 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 do not agree with this statement, however, many consider the issue of flight speed to be very controversial. Opinions are divided between dragonflies, butterflies and horseflies. There are many unsubstantiated rumors about the speed of each of these species.
The most terrifying insect: locusta migratoria
The Locusta migratoria or migrating locust is perhaps the most terrifying insect known to man. Although mosquitoes are to blame for many human deaths, it is locusts that have always made people scream in horror. Locust swarms are rare these days, but do occur 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 by the title 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 a 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 be harmed by the stomach's digestive enzymes.
The rarest insect: the Lord Howe Island piercing insect
This rather large insect of the piercing family lives on Lord Howe Island between Australia and New Zealand. The species is also an example of what biologists call the Lazarus effect, which is when a species is thought to be extinct and then found again. The number of Dryococelus australis today is no more than 50 individuals; at the time of rediscovery 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 thousand individuals under a special program.
The loudest insect: the paddlefish
The cicada (Micronecta scholtzi) is a species of cicada and for its size it is the loudest on earth. The cicada family is generally known for its sound, some species can sing with a force of 120 dB. The comb, having a length of only 2 mm, is capable of creating a noise of 99.2 dB. 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 colony of insects in the world, even rivaling humanity in numbers. Scientists have discovered that insects of this species, found in America, Europe and Japan, belong to the same colonies because they refuse to fight with 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 towards each other and recognized “their” smell, despite the distance of thousands of miles. Additionally, this incredible phenomenon appears to have been created by people who accidentally transported ants from South America to other continents.
