1. Titanus Giganteus
Titanus giganteus is a sleek beetle species. It ranks second in terms of body length among beetles, but if excluding the horn length, it's the longest. Adults can reach up to 16.7 cm.
Among known beetle species, only the 17.7 cm-long male Dynastes hercules surpasses it, but excluding the horn length, Titanus giganteus is longer. It has short, curved, and sharp forelegs capable of piercing pencils and even cutting flesh.
2. Queen Alexandra's Birdwing Butterfly
Queen Alexandra's Birdwing Butterfly is primarily distributed in eastern Papua New Guinea and is the largest butterfly species in the world. The male butterfly also has brown wings but with iridescent blue and green shimmering spots, and a bright yellow abdomen. A distinguishing feature to identify the male butterfly is the golden spots on the hind wings.
The Alexandra Birdwing Butterfly females are typically larger than males with broader and rounder wings. Female butterflies can achieve a wingspan of up to 31 cm, a body length of about 8 cm, and weigh up to 12 grams, significant measurements for a butterfly species. Female butterflies have brown wings with white patches, a cream-colored body, and a small section of red fur on the thorax. Males, on the other hand, are smaller, with wings usually brown but also showing signs of green or light yellow. The wingspan of male butterflies ranges from 16 to 20 cm. A notable feature in the morphology of male butterflies is the presence of golden spots on the hind wings.
Alexandra Birdwing Butterflies females lay around 27 eggs throughout their lifetime (this is statistically based on the results of dissecting the mother butterfly's body carried out by Ray Straatman). Newly hatched butterfly larvae will consume their own eggshells before continuing their development with fresh leaf sources. Butterfly larvae are black with red spots and have a small cream stripe in the middle of their bodies.
3. Chinese Praying Mantis
Chinese Praying Mantis (Tenodera sinensis) is a species of praying mantis native to China and was introduced to North America around 1895 as a biological pest control agent. Since then, they have spread across much of southern New England and the Northeastern United States. Adults can grow up to 10 cm in length, making them the largest praying mantis species in North America. They are sometimes mistakenly referred to as Tenodera aridifolia sinensis.
The diet of Chinese Praying Mantis mainly consists of other insect species, although adult females sometimes consume prey such as small vertebrates like reptiles and amphibians. Like some other mantises, they are cannibalistic. Females can produce a hard egg case the size of a ping pong ball, containing up to 200 eggs. These cases are often attached to vegetation such as shrubs and small trees. Their coloration varies from overall brownish-green with green stripes along the edges of the forewings.
4. Elephant Beetle
This species of beetle belongs to the subfamily Dynastinae and is typically found in rainforests in Mexico, Central America, and South America. Adult males measure from 7 to 12 cm in length, often twice the size of females. They are usually black and covered with a soft layer of fur. The fur grows very thick on their hardened wing covers, giving them a slightly golden appearance. Males have two horns on their head and one horn on the front thoracic segment used for defense and competition, while females lack horns.
Megasoma elephas typically appears black and is covered with a soft layer of fur. The fur grows particularly thick on their hardened wing covers. This fur layer also gives them a slightly golden appearance. Males have two horns on their head and one horn on the front thoracic segment, while females lack horns. The horns are used for defense or to compete with each other for food and mating opportunities.
5. Giant Long-Legged Katydids
This species is scientifically known as Arachnacris corporalis, a katydid species native to Malaysia. Their average adult length ranges from 15 to 25 cm. They typically have green coloration with a pair of membranous wings and a pair of upper wings resembling leaves, along with long antennae and 6 pairs of long legs.
Giant Long-Legged Katydids vary in size from as small as 5 mm to as large as 250 mm. Smaller species often inhabit drier or more stressful environments, leading to their reduced size. Smaller size is associated with greater agility, faster development, and lower nutritional requirements. Giant Long-Legged Katydids are tree-dwelling insects most commonly heard at night throughout the summer and early fall. They can be distinguished from crickets by the length of their antennae, which may exceed their body length, whereas cricket antennae are relatively short and stout.
6. Goliath Cave Cockroach
The giant cave-dwelling cockroach, also known as the rhinoceros cockroach, Queensland giant cockroach, and litter bug. These roaches originate from Australia and are primarily found in the tropical regions of Queensland. They are the heaviest cockroach species in the world, weighing up to 35 g and measuring up to 8 cm in length. Unlike most egg-laying insects, giant female roaches give birth to live young and protect their offspring in burrows underground, providing them with leaf litter that the mother gathers overnight. They can live up to 10 years, unlike some other roach species, they are wingless and not considered harmful. Roaches play an important role in the ecosystem by consuming dead leaves, particularly invertebrates, and recycling other matter.
True to their name, they can burrow into the ground to a depth of about 1 m, where it makes permanent homes. Adult males and females can be distinguished by the size of the 'spoon' on the pronotum, covering the head, males have a much more prominent spoon. They develop by molting their exoskeleton 12 or 13 times before reaching full size. When a roach molts, it appears pure white except for its eyes.
7. Goliath Beetle
This type of beetle is scientifically known as Goliathus goliatus, belonging to the scarab beetle family Scarabaeidae. They are one of the largest species in the Goliathus genus, with a body length ranging from 60 - 110 mm for males, 50 - 80 mm for females, and can weigh up to 80 - 100g. Their thorax is mainly black with white longitudinal stripes, while the elytra are usually dark brown.
This species has a relatively large pair of hind wings used for flight. When not in use, they are folded under the elytra. Their heads are white, with a black Y-shaped horn in males used in battles for food or mates with other males. Goliath beetles primarily feed on tree sap and fruits.
8. Giant Weta
This giant Weta insect is scientifically known as Deinacrida, originating from New Zealand and considered a native species of this country. Weta is also one of the insect species with 'giant' size. Excluding the length of its legs and antennae, the body of each Weta insect measures 10 cm long. They can weigh up to 70 - 80 grams, larger than house flies by 100 - 150 times and three times heavier than a mouse. The name Weta originates from how Maori people call this insect - Wetapunga, meaning God of ugly things, humorously translated as Holy Ugly.
What's special about this species is that for nearly 200 million years, they have hardly undergone any evolution. Their appearance has remained virtually unchanged until today. Weta insects are also considered one of the most aggressive species in the world. They can chase away mice and even bite humans. However, this only happens when they feel threatened.
Weta insects have been recognized as the heaviest insect species ever found. Giant Weta insects are now only found on Little Barrier Island in New Zealand, although there are up to 70 other species of Weta insects across the country. Giant Weta insects lost their habitat on the mainland because their predators are rodents inadvertently brought here by Europeans. Ironically, despite being an insect species like Weta, they cannot fly, and they can't even jump like other species.
9. Giant Camel Spider
Giant Camel Spiders, scientifically known as Arachnid Solifugae, or commonly referred to as Wind Scorpions, belong to the hairy spider family and predominantly inhabit deserts. They possess 6 pairs of legs of various shapes and sizes. Their body length can reach up to 15 cm with a weight of about 56g, hence they are often called giant spiders. Particularly, this species has the ability to move very fast at speeds of up to 50 km/h and can jump up to 2m high. Therefore, the giant camel spider is a terror to all desert creatures. They typically hunt solitary prey seasonally and at night.
Giant Camel Spiders, although small compared to many other species, are quite fierce predators. Due to their high metabolism, they need to eat a lot and actively hunt for prey. They do not possess venom but are very fast and robust with shear-like jaws. Burrowing behavior is a typical response of this species when feeling threatened.
10. Giant Atlas Moth
Atlas Moth, scientifically known as Attacus atlas, is a species of moth belonging to the Silkmoth family. Moths constitute the majority of species in this family, with an estimated 150,000 to 250,000 different moth species (about ten times the number of butterfly species), with thousands of species yet to be described.
Atlas Moth, also known as Giant Atlas Moth, is commonly found in tropical and subtropical forests of Southeast Asia, particularly in the Malay Archipelago. It is considered the largest moth in the world, with a total wing surface area of about 400 cm2. Its wingspan is also one of the largest, ranging from 25 to 30 cm. Females are larger and heavier. The Atlas Moth is one of the three moth species listed in the Vietnam Red Data Book (Atlas Moth, Long-tailed Moth, and Swallowtail Moth).
