Sunday, December 14, 2008

Extreme Insects

Longest Insect


Orthoptera Curator George Beccaloni holding the giant stick insect

Scientific name: Phobaeticus chani
Name: Chan's megastick
Length: 567mm
Habitat: Rainforest canopy of Borneo
Name after: Malaysian naturalist, Datuk Chan Chew Lun


Heaviest/Largest Insect



Scientific name: Goliathus goliath
Name: Goliath beetle
Weight: 80–100 grams (2.8–3.5 oz) in the larval stage. Adult is only about half of that.
Length: Up to 110mm for males and 80mm for females
Habitat: Africa (mostly in African tropical rainforest)


Smallest Insect


Gonatocerus triguttatus Girault (a type of fairyfly)

Scientific name: Alpatus magnimius
Name: Fairyfly
Size: 0.21 mm for male


Most Venomous Insect



Scientific name: Pogonomyrmex maricopa
Name: Harvester Ant
Lethal Dosage: Lethal dosage required to kill at least one half of a population (LD50) of rodents is at an exact value of 0.12 mg/kg