Goliath beetle larvae can weigh 80–100 grams — heavier than the adult that emerges from them.
MuseumSmithsonian Insect ZooShare →
Goliath Beetle
Goliathus regius
Heaviest insect in the world. Lifts 850× its own body weight. Lives in trees.
Curated and rated by Sheriff Six-Legs and The Wild Pest field team · Six Legs Score™ (72/100, Curious tier) · Published Apr 25, 2026 · Updated Apr 28, 2026 · Released CC BY 4.0
72Six Legs
Six Legs Score™
72 / 100
Among the heaviest insects on Earth — adults can weigh 80–100 grams as larvae and 50+ grams as adults. The body-armor proportions of a Goliathus give it a near-perfect strength-to-weight signature; rumors that it can carry 850× its own weight have been documented. Visually one of the most photogenic insects alive.
Size
Adult: 8–11 cm; weight 40–60 g
Lifespan
Larva: ~1 year; adult: 3–4 months
Range
Equatorial Africa — Cameroon, Gabon, Congo Basin
Diet
Adult: tree sap, ripe fruit. Larva: decomposing matter, invertebrates.
Found in
Tropical rainforest canopy and forest floor
Field guide
The Goliath beetle is among the largest insects in the world. Goliathus regius males reach lengths up to 11 cm and adult weights of 50–60 grams; the larvae, which spend roughly a year underground, can weigh 80–100 grams — heavier than the adult that hatches from them. Goliath beetles inhabit the tropical forests of equatorial Africa, particularly Cameroon, Gabon, and the Congo Basin. Adults feed on tree sap and fruit; larvae are carnivorous, eating decomposing plant matter and other invertebrates. The species' notoriety in entomology comes from its raw musculature: laboratory tests have demonstrated Goliathus capable of pulling and lifting loads many hundreds of times their own body weight, with verified records around 850×. Their wing covers (elytra) are unusually thick and serve as armor; flight is laborious but possible. Captive-bred specimens are sought after by collectors worldwide and the species sustains a niche pet trade in Japan.
6 wild facts on file
Lab tests have measured Goliath beetles lifting up to 850× their own body weight — pound for pound, one of the strongest animals ever measured.
JournalJournal of Comparative PhysiologyShare →
Goliath beetle larvae are carnivorous — they eat decomposing meat and other invertebrates, unusual for a scarab beetle larva.
EncyclopediaEncyclopedia of LifeShare →
Despite weighing as much as a hummingbird, Goliathus can fly — though it sounds like a small drone in flight.
MuseumSmithsonian National Museum of Natural HistoryShare →
The Goliath beetle's wing covers are so thick and rigid that researchers have studied them as a model for impact-resistant materials.
JournalMaterials Today journalShare →
Captive-bred Goliath beetles are popular pets in Japan, where they are kept in climate-controlled enclosures and traded among collectors.
MediaMultiple Japanese hobbyist publicationsShare →
Cultural file
The Goliath beetle is named for the biblical giant Goliath, a Linnaean naming tradition for the largest specimens in any group. The species has been the focus of sustained entomological collection since the 19th century. In Japan, its closest local relative — the rhinoceros beetle (Allomyrina dichotoma) — fuels a multi-million-dollar pet beetle market that overlaps with Goliathus enthusiasts.
Sources
MuseumSmithsonian Insect ZooEncyclopediaEncyclopedia of Life — Goliathus
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