Giant hornet
The giant hornet or Vespa mandarinia is a rare endemic found in China, Japan and India. The insect is less common in the mountainous areas of Sri Lanka. The giant hornet also lives in Russia, but only in the Primorsky Territory and near the Anyui River (Khabarovsk region). The length of an adult individual exceeds 5 cm, and its wingspan reaches 75 mm.
The main distinguishing feature of Vespa mandarinia from other representatives of Hymenoptera is its large head and long sting. The Chinese and Japanese call this insect the “sparrow bee” or “tiger bee.” It is not advisable to contact it, as its bite can cause pain, local swelling and a severe allergic reaction.
Why is the praying mantis listed on the pages of the Red Book?
The habitat is tied to the food supply. They are indiscriminate eaters, but the reduction in the number of millipedes, butterflies and other Coleoptera affects the life expectancy of the predator. The development of land for new lands and the development of territories lead to a reduction in the population.
The praying mantis in Russia is mainly represented by the following species:
- Chinese;
- green;
- empusa striped;
- Crimean;
- spotted;
- pinnate.
The areas where the praying mantis lives in Russia belong to the steppe, forest-steppe and coastal areas. The Crimean species, the common mantis, perestousa, striped empusa and Chinese are listed in the Red Book. Extinction is influenced by man-made factors.
Rhinoceros cockroach
Another name for the insect is the burrowing cockroach. The body length of females reaches 8 cm, and their weight ranges from 35-45 grams, which is equal to the mass of a small bird from the passerine family. Despite their name, rhinoceros cockroaches do not have horns, but they are quite nimble and active. Insects spend most of their time searching for food (eucalyptus leaves, berries, fruits) and digging underground passages in which they lay eggs and raise offspring. Cubs of burrowing cockroaches live with their mother for 8-9 months, after which they begin to feed on their own and establish burrows in the ground.
The rhinoceros cockroach is the oldest representative of insects. Presumably, he appeared on Earth 300,000,000 years ago. It easily adapts to new conditions and is able to survive high levels of radiation. This was the reason why it did not become extinct.
Praying mantises have excellent vision
Photo: Andrey Tikhonovskiy
Their head is triangular in shape with two large compound and three simple eyes providing a wide field of vision. The mantis's eyes are capable of stereopsis, a bizarre form of three-dimensional vision. Each eye has a fovea, a concentrated area of photoreceptor cells that allows them to focus and track prey with high precision.
Hercules beetle
A large beetle from the genus Dynastes, the distinctive feature of which is two huge horns. They function as a means of protection against natural enemies, help to dig in the ground and fight with rivals during the mating period. Hercules beetles live in the forests of Central and North America and the Caribbean islands. The creature got its name due to the fact that it is capable of carrying objects that exceed its mass by 100 times. The beetle is also enormous in size. The length of females reaches 8 cm, and males grow up to 17.
Giant scolopendra
The giant scolopendra was nicknamed a fast killer with poisonous legs and was called the largest insect on the planet. She is a rather aggressive creature and often attacks first. Scolopendra inhabits the tropics of South America, feeding on lizards, small snakes, birds and frogs. Occasionally eats plant foods or dives into the water for fish.
In addition to its length of 25-30 centimeters, the scolopendra became famous for its powerful legs, allowing it to jump great distances, and its fast-acting poison. If a scolopendra bites a small animal, it will die in a matter of minutes. The person will not die from the poison, but will experience terrible pain, fever and severe swelling of the soft tissues. Death can only occur if the victim has allergies.
What do praying mantises eat?
These arthropods are predators, so they mainly feed on other insects. Predators hunt flies, mosquitoes, bees, bumblebees, butterflies, beetles and cockroaches.
The largest representatives of this order attack small amphibians, birds and rodents.
Queen Alexandra's Birdwing
A beautiful day butterfly from the Swallowtail family, found by the famous businessman and insect collector Walter Rothschild. He named the find in honor of the wife of the English monarch Edward VII. The birdwing is native to Papua New Guinea. In the 20th century, a significant part of the butterfly population was destroyed by the Lamington volcano, which is why the species was listed as endangered in the Red Book. The largest insect of this species is kept in a London museum. The length of its abdomen is 80 mm, and the mass of a dried specimen exceeds 11 grams. The wingspan of Queen Alexandra's birdwing is 27.2 centimeters.
Grasshopper Veta
In 2011, news appeared in scientific journals that British entomologist Mark Moffett had discovered a giant insect that was thought to be extinct. It was the grasshopper Veta, whose body length is almost 18 centimeters. The world's rarest creature was found deep in one of the Small Barrier Islands (New Zealand). According to the entomologist, it was sitting on a tree branch and fell into the scientist’s hands without any problems. Even though Mark Moffett had the chance to study the grasshopper in detail, he didn't take it. The man fed Veta raw carrots, took photographs, recorded a video for the collection and released him into the wild.
They have many predatory enemies
Praying mantises are a favorite food of frogs, lizards, birds, chameleons, spiders and hornets. Fire ants are a particularly formidable enemy. Because they work together, they have no problem killing the praying mantis. The insect's elongated forelimbs are not very useful against one ant, let alone dozens of individuals that secrete paralyzing poison. The fire ants freeze the mantis in place and devour it in a swarm, preventing it from escaping.
Since some of their most dangerous predators are birds, moving at night is safer for praying mantises. They even have a special organ that can pick up the echolocation calls of bats, helping them hide before they are eaten.
Stag beetle
The largest representative of the genus Lucanus, inhabiting the territory of Europe, North Africa and the CIS countries. It differs from its relatives by enlarged mandibles, which during evolution turned into strong and large horns. They are a means of protecting, digging soil and chopping large berries or fruits.
The body length of an adult male is 6-8.5 cm, and that of females is 2.5-5 cm. As of 2016, the range of the stag beetle began to rapidly decline. The reason for this was the active cutting down of green spaces. Due to a lack of food, beetles fly into large cities, where they often die from vehicles, pets, or under the feet of passers-by.
Water scorpion
Water scorpions are part of a large family of aquatic bugs and are characterized by the presence of grasping limbs. They also have a tube at the end of the back of their body that allows them to breathe while underwater. Water bugs live in tropical forests and temperate climates. The length of the insect often reaches 45 mm, although tiny 1.5-2 cm individuals are also often found.
Despite the fact that the creature has no poisonous glands, experts do not recommend touching or handling it. Bedbugs of this species not only carry dangerous viruses, but can also bite painfully. Their jaws are strewn with bacteria and microbes, which is why the wound begins to fester, and the limb swells and turns red.
The water scorpion is a slow-moving insect. It moves slowly, grabbing algae and debris in the pond with its claws. It has wings, but the creature cannot fly. They help him maneuver when jumping over long distances.
Praying mantises are unique insects
Mantises are six-legged invertebrates with exoskeletons, segmented bodies and articulated legs. Their main distinguishing feature is their front legs, which are usually raised and under the head, giving the appearance that the insect is praying.
The praying mantis has a long chest, giving the appearance of having a long neck. The prothorax, or back of the chest, is very flexible, so the mantis can turn its head and forelimbs without moving the rest of its body. These are the only insects that have this ability. Moreover, some species are able to turn their heads 180 degrees.
Peacock-eye Atlas
A huge butterfly, which is distinguished by its bright color, unusual body structure and large wingspan (up to 28.9 cm). Atlas lives in the forests and city parks of Southern China, Thailand, and Indonesia. Sometimes this species is found near the Himalayas. Despite the fact that the peacock eye is one of the largest butterflies on the planet, it lives extremely short. The duration of the adult stage is no more than 2 weeks. Atlas spends his entire life searching for food and pollinating flowers. The giant insect feeds on cinnamon, hornbeam, apple, rambutan and citrus fruits.
Giant Asian mantis
Giant Asian mantis (Hierodula grandis)
Class – Insects
Order – Cockroaches
Family – Bogomolovidae
Genus – Empusidae
Appearance
Individuals of both sexes reach a length of 8-9 cm, females are more massive than males. The color varies from almost white or yellowish to red-brown and almost black. It can change throughout life and is determined by the color of the substrate against which the previous molt took place. So, if the praying mantis moulted against the background of dry grass, then the color will be dominated by yellow-gray tones; if against the background of dark tree bark, then the color will be close to brown; if against a background of green grass or leaves - then green, etc. This species is distinguished by the presence of 8-10 blunt spines on the anterior surface of the coxae of the fore legs. There is a black dot on the anterior side of the trochanter.
Habitat
Southeast Asia (China, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand).
In nature
The usual state for this species is to hang motionless, horizontally or slightly upside down under some support (in nature these are branches or leaves), lying in wait for prey. The main food is flying insects: butterflies, flies, fruit flies, and other flying insects.
Reproduction
Mating usually occurs no earlier than 3 weeks after the final molt. To attract males, females secrete pheromones, with the peak intensity of their release occurring in the evening. The male searches for a mate using his sense of smell, and only at a close distance (less than one or two meters) does he begin to be guided by his vision. Seeing the female, he immediately freezes in place, literally “not taking his eyes off the chosen one” and not paying attention to anything around. Females, like males, can mate several times during their lives. The average number of ootheca deposits is 4-6. The laying process is not related to the time of day and takes about 2 hours. The newly laid ootheca is soft and hardens after a few hours; the white powdery coating covering it crumbles off after about two weeks. The incubation period is about 1 month. When babies emerge from the ootheca, for the first three to five minutes they remain attached to it by thread-like formations, and hang in a cluster under it, hardening. For this, the ootheca must be raised. On average, 60-80 nymphs emerge from one ootheca.
Life expectancy is from 6 months to a year.
Captivity
A vertical terrarium is suitable for an adult mantis. For decoration, you need to use fragments of branches, preferably of various shapes; the more unusual, the better! You cannot use cedar branches - they are poisonous to arthropods. This is explained by the fact that at high temperatures and dry air, evaporation accelerates, including through the body, and the animal quickly loses water. In order to prevent this loss of water, a humid atmosphere is created. In both cases, the mantis happily drinks fresh water. If you spray a small area near him, then, in case of thirst, he immediately moves closer and begins to “lick” the drops. You should give him water in this way at least once every two days. Do not over-moisten the substrate! Excessive humidity in the terrarium can cause mold, mildew and dangerous microorganisms to develop, which is harmful not only for insects, but also for humans. Mold spores, flying around the room, enter the respiratory tract when you breathe and can cause a runny nose and cough. If for some reason the soil turns out to be waterlogged, then it should be loosened with a pointed object - tweezers, a stick; the increased area of contact with air will speed up drying. The layer thickness in both cases is 2-3 cm. The size of the ventilation holes depends on the temperature of the content. In the first, 'cool' option (18-20ºС), the terrarium, with the exception of the bottom, can be made entirely of mesh. But, since it is inconvenient to look at the animal through the mesh, it is advisable to make the front wall glass. In the second case (temperature in the terrarium 25-27º), the size of the ventilation holes should be kept to a minimum to avoid the escape of moist air. Typically, this minimum is a gap of half a centimeter or less between the cover glass and the front glass. “Sunbathing” is highly desirable. Transferred from the terrarium to the sun, the praying mantis literally lies flat, exposing its entire body to the rays. It is safer to choose morning and evening hours, for example, from 7-00 to 11-00 and from 17-00 to 19-00. If in such a case the animal is in a carrier (temporary container for transportation), then the latter should be made of mesh, not only for the penetration of sunlight, but also for free air circulation. Containers made of glass or transparent plastic are not suitable due to the risk of overheating. For feeding, you can use insects of a smaller size or, for adult females, equal in length. Specially grown food crickets, cockroaches, zoobass, and locusts are suitable as food. Despite the sting, it can also eat stinging hymenoptera - wasps and bees, since it instinctively grabs them across the body and eats them, holding them at some distance from itself. Females have a much greater appetite and hunt larger prey.
Chan's megastick
Chan's megastick insect is recognized by scientists as the longest and most unique insect on the planet, listed in the Guinness Book of Records. It was first discovered on the island of Kalimantan in 1989. Unfortunately, the found individual could not be preserved for research. Entomologists were able to study this creature only after Chan's megastick insect was delivered to the London Natural History Museum in 2008. The length of the sample was 56 centimeters, and its weight did not exceed 63 grams. The peculiarity of the insect is that it looks like a tree branch. This natural camouflage allows it to hide not only from predators, but also from curious people.
They are masters of disguise
Mantises are hunters, usually attacking from ambush. By nature they are well camouflaged. Insects come in the form of leaves, sticks and branches. For example, flower mantises look so convincing that unsuspecting insects come to collect nectar from them... and become lunch.
Photo: www.blog.prepscholar.com
Lumberjack titan
The Lumberjack Titan is officially recognized as the largest beetle on the planet. Its length reaches 22 cm. This representative of the longhorned family lives in Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Suriname and Brazil. At certain times of the year, some countries announce “bug safari”, during which tourists are taken to places densely populated by lumberjack titans and allowed to catch these giants for their collection. For many, this activity will seem pointless, but the beetle can be sold to collectors for $700-1000. This is a considerable amount for an insect that is not endangered and is not included in the Red Book, so its capture is not prosecuted by law.
Listotele
Another name for the insect is leafhopper. Its peculiarity is considered to be its unusual appearance and the ability to remain motionless for a long time. The leaf beetle resembles a tree leaf and almost always sits among greenery. This camouflage allows it to hide from natural predators and quietly eat vegetation. The maximum length of a leafhopper is 13 cm. The body of females is devoid of wings, which is why they are not able to fly. But males have wings, so they often fly from one branch to another. In addition to the common leaf beetle, there are 50 more species of these insects. They all differ from each other in body shape and color.
Description of insects
These arthropod insects have an elongated body with a triangular head that rotates around its axis. Mantises notice enemies ready to attack them from behind.
Look what a praying mantis looks like, the photo shows the complex structure of its bulging eyes. They are located on the sides of the head; the insect also has 3 additional eyes.
Many segments form antennae. The mouthparts of the gnawing type are directed downward.
A special feature is the pronotum, which expands upward. The body consists of 10 segments. On the latter there is a pair of appendages that serve as olfactory organs.
Most varieties of mantises have wings and can fly. The front pair of wings, narrower than the rear, are used as elytra.
The wider pair of wings at the rear may be brightly colored and even patterned. In addition, there are praying mantises without wings, similar to larvae.
Insects have well-developed forelimbs. The tarsi have 5 segments and 2 large claws. In addition to the tarsus, the limb includes the tibia, coxa, femur, and trochanter. The femur and tibia have spines.During the eating process, the mantis holds the victim between the lower leg and thigh. The other legs of the insect have a typical structure for arthropods. The praying mantis breathes through the tracheal system.
The female praying mantis is larger in size than the male.
There are species that reach 16-17 cm in length, but there are also varieties no more than 5 mm.
The coloring of the body has a camouflage character. The color literally blends with the environment.
Some representatives of praying mantises resemble leaves, sticks or flowers, others are colored to resemble tree bark, lichens or ashes that are carried by the wind after a fire.
Insects can have different colors: green, brownish, yellow and even contrasting. The color of the same individual may change after molting.
Goliath beetle
The insects are recognized as one of the largest beetles on the planet. The weight of an adult reaches 100 grams, and the length of males varies between 10-12 cm. A distinctive feature of goliath beetles are white stripes on the chest and a powerful head, with which they easily dig hard ground in search of food. Their diet is based on rotten fruits and tree sap. Occasionally they eat grass and soft bark. Beetles are no strangers to cannibalism. Often, adult larvae eat their own kind, since they cannot travel long distances to find food.
The female lays up to 400 eggs
Mantis eggs are laid in a foamy brown secretion called an ootheca, which becomes hard and protects the eggs from damage and predators. Most species die soon after laying eggs, but some can guard and protect the offspring before they hatch.
Photo: OLIVER KOEMMERLING/CC
Mantis eggs remain in the ooteca during the fall and winter and hatch as nymphs in the spring. Nymphs are very similar to adult mantises. They molt 5 to 10 times before reaching their adult size.
Chinese mantis
The Chinese mantis prefers to be nocturnal and is considered the best pest fighter. In China, there is a law according to which these insects cannot be destroyed, since they feed on bugs and larvae that spoil agricultural plants. In some cases, the praying mantis may eat a frog, small lizard, or hummingbird. The length of the creature reaches 15 centimeters, and its lifespan does not exceed six months. Natural predators for the insect are large birds, snakes and bats.
Female praying mantises are much larger than males. In 50-60% of cases during mating, they bite off the partner’s head, but this does not prevent him from completing fertilization. The reason for this aggressive behavior is that the female requires a lot of protein in the first period of pregnancy, and males are a rich source of the substance.
Differences between males and females
The work of Roger Caillois helped establish the facts of how to distinguish a female praying mantis from a male of various species. The largest insects on earth have a clear differentiation based on gender. The female praying mantis in the photo is significantly different from the male.
In most species, the female is 10–15 mm larger than her partner. The classic green mantis, the female reaches 48–75 mm, while the male reaches 42–52 mm. The female has massive claws with a sickle-shaped structure. The wingspan is larger, although in the male they are brighter in color.
Reproduction
A video on the topic of mating mantises was filmed by operators of the National geographic channel. While viewing the material, the viewer may have a question: why does the female eat the male? To answer, it is worth understanding who the female praying mantis is.
In the wild, the largest insect predators behave aggressively even towards their fellow insects. To protect the edema (laying), the female has to expend a lot of energy. The large size of the individual allowed it to provide the necessary tools for survival.
A massive body and high-speed metabolism require a large amount of energy. In order for conception to be successful, she eats her partner during the mating process. The resulting nutrients support the viability of the embryos.
Theraphose Blond
Theraphosa Blonda or Goliath spider is the largest representative of arachnids. Adults grow up to 25 cm, of which only 10 are on the body. The first goliath spider was found by scientists during an entomological expedition in 1965. They saw an unknown species in the thickets of trees near the city of Rio Cavero (Venezuela). The creature they discovered had a length of 28 cm and weighed 170 g.
A few years later, spider lovers became interested in goliaths. They began to be caught en masse and bred at home. Today, Teraphosa Blonda is considered the most popular exotic pet that feeds on birds and small rodents.
Facts about insects
- Back in the 14th century, researchers described the praying mantis insect, why the species was dangerous and useful. In Great Britain they were protected at the state level because they killed locusts.
- The places where praying mantises live are strikingly exotic. Individuals have been spotted from the tropics to the Arctic Circle.
- When asked if they are predators, there are hundreds of evidences of them catching fish, birds, small lizards and mammals.
- Does it fly? They are born flyers. It has been proven that an individual 20–50 cm in length is capable of covering a distance of 8,421.74 km.
Meganeura
An extinct huge insect from the order Protodonata, included in the list of dragonflies (Odonata). The remains and imprints of Meganeura on stones and hardened soil allowed scientists to determine their real size. The body length of an adult insect is 12 cm. A fossilized Meganeura monyi, whose wingspan reaches 750 mm, is kept in a French museum.
Meganeura lived in Europe, the USA and Central Asia. However, scientists managed to find several samples in the Perm region (Russia). In 1893, the famous paleontologist Charles Brongniart wrote a dissertation in which he spoke in detail about insects of this species. According to him, Meganeura was a predator, feeding on small midges and even lizards.
Insect sizes
However, when discussing the size of an insect, it is not enough to know only its size and wingspan (if it has one). There is another factor - weight.
North American actaeon beetle larva
If we take weight as a determining value, then the largest insect will be the larva of the North American actaeon beetle, whose weight reaches 228 g. 6-7 sparrows weigh the same. The larva lives in huge dead tropical trees and feeds on rotting wood for several years until it turns into a beetle.
Surprisingly, the larva of the actaeon beetle itself weighs more than the adult.
Deinacrida fallai
If we count only adult insects, the largest is the weta punga (Deinacrida fallai), a giant grasshopper found on the islands of New Zealand. Its weight reaches 71.3 g. It again turned out to be a female. That's where writers get new ideas. The grasshopper is so large that if you put it on your palm, it will completely cover it. Why not a prototype for another horror film?
Interesting: Mysterious insects
