What Was the Biggest Insect That Ever Lived?

National Geographic ^ | 10/15/2016 | Liz Langley

[JimSEA]

So when our friend Doug Rhodehamel wondered, “What’s the largest insect that ever lived?” Weird Animal Question of the Week went hunting for giants, past and present.

We found some ancient behemoths, some lovely ones, and some that could pass for Halloween decorations.

A Big Bug’s Life

Imagine a dragonfly so big its wings could block your 27-inch TV screen.

The largest insect fossils ever found are griffinflies and giant dragonflies, says Matthew Clapham, a paleobiologist at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Subtle anatomical differences separated the two groups.

With wingspans that could reach 27 inches, the largest known insects of all time are griffinflies from the genus Meganeuropsis, Clapham says via email. The largest of their fossils were found in France and Kansas and were 300 million to 280 million years old. By comparison, modern dragonfly wingspans top out at about eight inches.

Not that we’re complaining, but why did these big bugs shrink?

[JimSEA]

Long article but cool photos. The Asian Atlas Moth is quite common in Southeast Asia and is really interesting to see. They liked my MIL's garden in Phrae, Thailand. There are a lot of cool bugs in the rural areas. One of these is A stick bug about eight inches long. The termites with their large nests, some five or six feet high make me thankful we don't have here. Teak is very resistant to them but other woods are main short shift of.

[HombreSecreto]

Democrats - world’s largest cockroaches. :)

[paterfamilias]

George Soros

[EGPWS]

Michael Moore to date.

[Little Pig]

If you include other arthropods, the selection gets much more alarming. Consider arthropleura, a millipede relative the size of a loveseat.

[jetson]

Mothra?

[Gamecock]

Biggest insect ever?

[RoosterRedux]

What Was the Biggest Insect That Ever Lived?

Mothman. Point Pleasant, OH.

[Moonman62]

Would lobsters count?

[RegulatorCountry]

You’re confusing insects with arachnids. Common mistake.

[Jim W N]

Hillary?

[Little Pig]

I was focusing on dry-land creatures. If you go aquatic, you can include all kinds of horrifying things.

[Moonman62]

She’s Lord of the Flies.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Consider arthropleura, a millipede relative the size of a loveseat.

Oh HELL no.

[justlurking]

Bill Clinton.

[Safetgiver]

I think it was the crabs I had in 1968.

[JudyinCanada]

Lol - when I clicked on the thread, I said to myself, “Self, the picture of Hitlery will be up within 5 posts.” Hahah - I was off by 2.

[Doctor DNA]

They were bigger then cause there was much more oxygen in the air. The primitive breathing of insects limits the size .... so I heard. bzzzzzz

[JimSEA]

I’ve seen photos of that, centipedes creep me out anyhow. Tons of them where I grew up in AZ. A lot of them and millipedes in Thailand.

[DarthVader]

OBuggery!!