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The Wild Pest
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Giant bugs

Every species in the Wild Files corpus where giant is a defining trait.

70 on file

On File
An Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia) on a leaf, showing the distinctive orange-and-black thorax and large mandibles.
Apex Outlaw
Six Legs86
Alias
Vespa mandarinia

Asian Giant Hornet

Slaughters whole bee colonies in hours. Wears a sting that breaks down flesh.

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On File
An atlas moth (Attacus atlas) at rest, displaying its enormous patterned wings with cobra-head tips.
Curious
Six Legs76
Alias
Attacus atlas

Atlas Moth

World's largest moth. Wings shaped like snake heads. No mouth, no food, no time.

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On File
An emperor scorpion (Pandinus imperator), large jet-black body with massive pincers and curled tail.
Curious
Six Legs71
Alias
Pandinus imperator

Emperor Scorpion

Largest scorpion on Earth. Looks terrifying. Sting is roughly a bee's. Carries her babies.

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On File
An Amazonian giant centipede (Scolopendra gigantea) on a forest floor, segmented dark-red body with bright yellow legs.
Outlaw
Six Legs82
Alias
Scolopendra gigantea

Amazonian Giant Centipede

Largest centipede on Earth. Hangs from cave ceilings to ambush bats mid-flight.

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On File
A giant huntsman spider (Heteropoda maxima) inside a Laotian cave, showing the long flat-set legs and brown coloration.
Curious
Six Legs74
Alias
Heteropoda maxima

Giant Huntsman Spider

Largest spider in the world by leg span — 30 cm. Runs sideways. Doesn't bother you.

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On File
A Goliath beetle (Goliathus regius) on a tree branch, showing the distinctive black-and-white striped thorax.
Curious
Six Legs72
Alias
Goliathus regius

Goliath Beetle

Heaviest insect in the world. Lifts 850× its own body weight. Lives in trees.

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On File
A goliath birdeater tarantula (Theraphosa blondi) at the entrance to its burrow on a rainforest floor.
Outlaw
Six Legs82
Alias
Theraphosa blondi

Goliath Birdeater

Largest spider on Earth by weight. Defends itself by hissing and flicking itch-bombs.

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On File
A male Hercules beetle (Dynastes hercules) on a tropical leaf, showing the dramatic curved horns.
Curious
Six Legs76
Alias
Dynastes hercules

Hercules Beetle

Longest beetle on Earth. Lifts 100× its weight. Wing covers shift color with humidity.

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On File
A male European stag beetle (Lucanus cervus), dark mahogany body with enormous antler-like mandibles.
Curious
Six Legs73
Alias
Lucanus cervus

European Stag Beetle

Europe's largest beetle. Antlers like a deer. Wrestles other males over rotting logs.

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On File
A giant stick insect (Phryganistria chinensis) clinging to a twig, body indistinguishable from the branch.
Curious
Six Legs74
Alias
Phryganistria chinensis

Chinese Giant Stick Insect

Longest insect on Earth — 64 cm. Looks like a twig. Some species haven't needed males in centuries.

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On File
A male atlas beetle (Chalcosoma atlas), large dark body with three prominent forward-pointing horns.
Curious
Six Legs73
Alias
Chalcosoma atlas

Atlas Beetle

Asia's largest rhino beetle. Three forward horns. Males wrestle for branches.

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On File
A giant African millipede (Archispirostreptus gigas), long cylindrical glossy black body with hundreds of small legs.
Curious
Six Legs73
Alias
Archispirostreptus gigas

Giant African Millipede

Largest millipede on Earth — 38 cm. 256 legs. Releases cyanide when annoyed.

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On File
Queen Alexandra's birdwing butterfly (Ornithoptera alexandrae), enormous wings spread, male iridescent blue-green pattern.
Curious
Six Legs79
Alias
Ornithoptera alexandrae

Queen Alexandra's Birdwing

Largest butterfly on Earth — 28 cm. The first specimen was shot down with a shotgun.

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On File
An eastern cicada killer wasp (Sphecius speciosus), large yellow-and-black body with reddish thorax, transparent wings.
Curious
Six Legs71
Alias
Sphecius speciosus

Eastern Cicada Killer

5 cm wasp. Hunts cicadas. Drags 2× her body weight home. Almost never stings humans.

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On File
A Hercules moth (Coscinocera hercules), enormous wings spread, brown-and-cream pattern with subtle cobra-head wing tips.
Curious
Six Legs78
Alias
Coscinocera hercules

Hercules Moth

Largest wing surface area of any insect alive. 300 cm². Adult lasts a week. No mouth.

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On File
A Lord Howe Island stick insect (Dryococelus australis), large glossy black phasmid with curved abdomen, on a leaf.
Curious
Six Legs85
Alias
Dryococelus australis

Lord Howe Island Stick Insect

Declared extinct in 1920. Found on a sea-cliff in 2001. Now back from the brink.

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On File
An owl butterfly (Caligo eurilochus) at rest with wings folded, showing the realistic owl-eye marking on the underside of the hindwing.
Curious
Six Legs70
Alias
Caligo eurilochus

Forest Giant Owl Butterfly

Owl-eye markings so realistic predators flinch and let her escape.

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On File
A Carolina wolf spider (Hogna carolinensis), large brown body with mottled pattern, hairy legs, eight reflective eyes.
Curious
Six Legs70
Alias
Hogna carolinensis

Carolina Wolf Spider

Mom carries hundreds of babies on her back. Eyes glow back at flashlights from a hundred meters away.

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On File
A carpenter ant (Camponotus pennsylvanicus), large glossy black worker with characteristic single petiole node.
Outlaw
Six Legs74
Alias
Camponotus pennsylvanicus

Carpenter Ant

Doesn't eat wood — excavates it. Galleries through your beams. Largest ant in eastern North America.

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On File
A European hornet (Vespa crabro), large brown-and-yellow social wasp with reddish thorax markings.
Outlaw
Six Legs75
Alias
Vespa crabro

European Hornet

Europe's largest social wasp. Hunts at night by lamplight. Less aggressive than her tiny cousins.

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On File
A giant water bug (Lethocerus americanus), broad flat brown body with raptorial forelegs and pointed rostrum visible.
Outlaw
Six Legs85
Alias
Lethocerus americanus

Giant Water Bug

Largest true bug on Earth. Eats frogs and turtles. Bite is worse than a wasp sting. Father carries the eggs.

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On File
A golden silk orb-weaver (Trichonephila clavipes), large female with elongated body and tufted legs at the center of a golden-colored web.
Curious
Six Legs84
Alias
Trichonephila clavipes

Golden Silk Orb-Weaver

Spins golden silk strong as kevlar. The 2009 spider-silk cape took 1.2 million spiders.

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On File
A polyphemus moth (Antheraea polyphemus), large tan silk moth with prominent transparent eyespots on each hindwing.
Curious
Six Legs74
Alias
Antheraea polyphemus

Polyphemus Moth

North America's giant silk moth. 15 cm wingspan. Eyespots straight from the Cyclops. Adult cannot eat.

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On File
A titan beetle (Titanus giganteus), enormous chestnut-brown beetle with massive mandibles and elongated antennae.
Curious
Six Legs82
Alias
Titanus giganteus

Titan Beetle

Largest beetle in the world. 17 cm long. Snaps a pencil with her jaws. Larva has never been seen.

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On File
A wheel bug (Arilus cristatus), gray-brown body with a distinctive half-gear-shaped crest on the thorax and curved rostrum.
Curious
Six Legs79
Alias
Arilus cristatus

Wheel Bug

Wears half a gear-wheel on her back. Bite hurts worse than most snakes. Liquefies caterpillars.

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On File
Giant Asian honey bees (Apis dorsata) on a massive single-comb open-air hive suspended from a cliff overhang or tree branch, large golden-brown bees with darker abdominal bands clustered on the visible comb surface.
Outlaw
Six Legs92
Alias
Apis dorsata

Giant Asian Honey Bee

LARGEST HONEY BEE in the world. MASSIVE single-comb open hives. SHIMMERING WAVE DEFENSE.

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On File
A Pacific dampwood termite (Zootermopsis angusticollis) soldier, large brown termite with massive elongated mandibles, six legs, top view.
Outlaw
Six Legs81
Alias
Zootermopsis angusticollis

Pacific Dampwood Termite

LARGEST termite in North America. Pacific Northwest. Ancient lineage with pseudergate worker biology.

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On File
A Saint Helena giant earwig (Labidura herculeana) preserved museum specimen, large reddish-brown earwig with dramatic dark forceps at the rear, six legs, top view.
Apex Outlaw
Six Legs88
Alias
Labidura herculeana

Saint Helena Giant Earwig

LARGEST EARWIG ever known. 8 cm. Endemic to Saint Helena. Now believed EXTINCT (last seen 1967).

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On File
A striped earwig (Labidura riparia), large tan-yellow earwig with two dark longitudinal stripes down the dorsal surface and prominent forward-curving forceps at the rear, six legs, top view.
Beneficial
Six Legs77
Alias
Labidura riparia

Striped Earwig

Largest NA earwig. Major beneficial predator of crop pests. Females provide GUARDED MATERNAL CARE.

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On File
A giant Asian mantis (Hierodula membranacea), large bright leaf-green mantis with raptorial front legs and triangular head, six legs, side profile.
Outlaw
Six Legs76
Alias
Hierodula membranacea

Giant Asian Mantis

8-10 cm SE Asian mantis. Captures small lizards, snakes, hummingbirds. Popular pet mantis worldwide.

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On File
A dark fishing spider (Dolomedes tenebrosus), large brown-and-black spider with intricate camouflage markings on the dorsal abdomen and banded legs, eight legs, top view.
Outlaw
Six Legs76
Alias
Dolomedes tenebrosus

Dark Fishing Spider

Largest house-invading spider in eastern NA. 9 cm leg span. Looks terrifying but harmless.

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On File
An eastern Hercules beetle (Dynastes tityus), large olive-green-to-black male beetle with dramatic upward-curving cephalic horn and thoracic horns forming a pitchfork morphology, six legs, side profile.
Curious
Six Legs79
Alias
Dynastes tityus

Eastern Hercules Beetle

Largest beetle in eastern US. Males have dramatic pitchfork-horn morphology. CHANGES COLOR with humidity.

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On File
A giant isopod (Bathynomus giganteus), enormous pinkish-gray segmented deep-sea isopod resembling a giant pillbug, fourteen legs, top view.
Curious
Six Legs84
Alias
Bathynomus giganteus

Giant Isopod

Largest known isopod on Earth. 50 cm. Looks like a giant pillbug. FASTS for FIVE YEARS at a time.

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On File
A black witch moth (Ascalapha odorata), enormous dark brown-to-black moth with iridescent purple highlights and pale comma-shaped markings on the forewings, side profile.
Curious
Six Legs80
Alias
Ascalapha odorata

Black Witch Moth

Largest moth in North America. 24 cm wingspan. 'Mariposa de la muerte' in Latin American folklore.

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On File
A Carolina wolf spider (Hogna carolinensis), large brown wolf spider with darker markings on the body and legs, eight legs, top view.
Outlaw
Six Legs79
Alias
Hogna carolinensis

Carolina Wolf Spider

LARGEST wolf spider in NA. State spider of SC. Mothers carry dozens of spiderlings on her back.

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On File
A coconut crab (Birgus latro), enormous reddish-brown terrestrial crab with massive chela (front claws) and long walking legs, top view.
Apex Outlaw
Six Legs88
Alias
Birgus latro

Coconut Crab

LARGEST land-living arthropod on Earth. 4 kg, 1 m leg span. Climbs trees and opens coconuts.

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On File
A tomato hornworm caterpillar (Manduca quinquemaculata), large bright green caterpillar with white V-shaped diagonal stripes along each side and a prominent black-or-blue dorsal horn, side profile.
Outlaw
Six Legs81
Alias
Manduca quinquemaculata

Tomato Hornworm (Five-spotted Hawkmoth)

Major NA garden pest. Big green caterpillar with BLACK HORN. Adult is gray sphinx with FIVE yellow spot pairs.

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On File
A dragonhunter dragonfly (Hagenius brevistylus), large dark brown-and-yellow clubtail dragonfly with massive enlarged terminal abdominal segments, four wings spread, side profile.
Outlaw
Six Legs80
Alias
Hagenius brevistylus

Dragonhunter

Largest clubtail in NA. Hunts and eats other DRAGONFLIES. Apex predator of NA freshwater systems.

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On File
A great spangled fritillary butterfly (Speyeria cybele), large bright orange-and-black butterfly with brilliant metallic silver-and-cream spot patterns on the hindwing underside, side profile.
Beneficial
Six Legs72
Alias
Speyeria cybele

Great Spangled Fritillary

Large NA fritillary with brilliant METALLIC SILVER underside spots. Larvae OVERWINTER WITHOUT EATING.

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On File
A male cloudless sulphur butterfly (Phoebis sennae), bright lemon-yellow wings with no markings, side profile.
Beneficial
Six Legs73
Alias
Phoebis sennae

Cloudless Sulphur

Bright LEMON-YELLOW migratory butterfly. Millions migrate south through the eastern US each autumn.

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On File
A giant swallowtail butterfly (Papilio cresphontes), enormous dark brown-to-black wings with diagonal yellow band across forewings and yellow border along wing margins, side profile.
Outlaw
Six Legs81
Alias
Papilio cresphontes

Giant Swallowtail

LARGEST butterfly in North America. Caterpillar = the 'orange dog' citrus pest that mimics BIRD DROPPINGS.

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On File
A hickory horned devil caterpillar (Citheronia regalis), enormous turquoise-green caterpillar with curved black-tipped orange horns on the head capsule and rows of black spines along the body, side profile.
Curious
Six Legs83
Alias
Citheronia regalis

Regal Moth (Hickory Horned Devil)

Caterpillar is the LARGEST in North America. Looks like a dragon. Completely harmless.

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On File
An eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly (Papilio glaucus), large bright yellow wings with bold black tiger-stripe markings and classic swallowtail tail extensions on the hindwings, side profile.
Beneficial
Six Legs76
Alias
Papilio glaucus

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Most familiar large NA butterfly. State butterfly of 6 US states. Female has YELLOW and BLACK pipevine-mimicking morphs.

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On File
A giant bulldog ant (Myrmecia gulosa), large reddish-brown ant with massive elongated sickle-like mandibles longer than the head and large compound eyes, six legs, side profile.
Outlaw
Six Legs85
Alias
Myrmecia gulosa

Bulldog Ant

Australia's giant primitive ants. Massive sickle jaws. Sees prey from 1 meter. Most ANCIENT surviving ant lineage.

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On File
An eastern lubber grasshopper (Romalea microptera), large bright-yellow body with bold black markings on the wings, abdomen, and legs, six legs, side profile.
Curious
Six Legs82
Alias
Romalea microptera

Eastern Lubber Grasshopper

Largest grasshopper in southeastern US. Flightless. Foam-producing chemical defense. Mass nymph processions.

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On File
A great black wasp (Sphex pensylvanicus), large jet-black solitary wasp with smoky blue-black iridescent wings, six legs, side profile.
Beneficial
Six Legs79
Alias
Sphex pensylvanicus

Great Black Wasp

35 mm jet-black solitary wasp. Paralyzes katydids alive. Famous in philosophy of mind ('Sphexishness').

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On File
A twelve-spotted skimmer (Libellula pulchella), large dragonfly with bluish body and four wings each marked with three dark brown spots in alternating bands and white flash patches between, side profile.
Beneficial
Six Legs71
Alias
Libellula pulchella

Twelve-Spotted Skimmer

12 dark wing spots in alternating bands. Males develop white 'flash' patches. NA flagship dragonfly.

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On File
A brown hawker dragonfly (Aeshna grandis), large bronze-brown body with heavily tinted amber-bronze wings, four wings spread, side profile.
Beneficial
Six Legs74
Alias
Aeshna grandis

Brown Hawker

European hawker dragonfly with HEAVILY-TINTED AMBER WINGS visible in flight. 8 cm body, hours of patrol.

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On File
A zebra swallowtail butterfly (Eurytides marcellus), pale cream wings crossed by bold black vertical stripes with dramatically elongated hindwing tails, dorsal view.
Beneficial
Six Legs74
Alias
Eurytides marcellus

Zebra Swallowtail

Tennessee state butterfly. Longest tails of any North American swallowtail. Eats only pawpaw.

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On File
A male Madagascan comet moth (Argema mittrei), brilliant golden-yellow wings with single eye-spots and dramatically extended hindwing tail filaments up to 15 cm long, dorsal view.
Curious
Six Legs80
Alias
Argema mittrei

Madagascan Comet Moth

Longest moth wing tails on Earth — 15 cm. Bat sonar deflector. Lives 4-5 days. Endemic to Madagascar.

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On File
An elephant mosquito (Toxorhynchites rutilus), large mosquito with metallic blue-green body and brilliant orange tail, long down-curving proboscis, six legs.
Beneficial
Six Legs88
Alias
Toxorhynchites rutilus

Elephant Mosquito

Largest mosquito on Earth. Adults DON'T bite. Larvae eat 200+ Aedes mosquito larvae each. Used as biocontrol.

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On File
A silver-washed fritillary (Argynnis paphia), brilliant orange-and-black checkered upperside wings spread, large butterfly resting on a bramble flower.
Beneficial
Six Legs73
Alias
Argynnis paphia

Silver-Washed Fritillary

Largest European fritillary. Lays eggs on tree bark, not the host plant. Caterpillar overwinters without feeding.

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On File
An American burying beetle (Nicrophorus americanus), large beetle with bright orange-red pronotum and orange-marked elytra against glossy black body, six legs.
Curious
Six Legs81
Alias
Nicrophorus americanus

American Burying Beetle

Buries dead mice. Both parents care for the brood. Endangered species recovery success.

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On File
A common green darner dragonfly (Anax junius), large body with apple-green thorax and blue-and-black abdomen, four translucent wings spread, dorsal view.
Beneficial
Six Legs80
Alias
Anax junius

Common Green Darner

Largest North American dragonfly (8 cm). Multi-generational 1,500+ km migration. Apple-green thorax.

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On File
A ten-lined June beetle (Polyphylla decemlineata), large dark brown scarab with ten cream-white longitudinal stripes on the elytra, six legs, dorsal view.
Curious
Six Legs75
Alias
Polyphylla decemlineata

Ten-Lined June Beetle

Largest western US scarab. Squeaks audibly when grabbed. Males have feathered antennae.

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On File
A devil's coach-horse beetle (Ocypus olens), glossy black rove beetle with short elytra and long flexible abdomen raised in scorpion pose with mandibles open, six legs.
Curious
Six Legs78
Alias
Ocypus olens

Devil's Coach-Horse Beetle

Raises her tail like a scorpion when threatened. Medieval Europe believed she carried curses.

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On File
A Wellington tree wētā (Hemideina crassidens), stout brown cricket-like insect with large head and prominent mandibles, six legs and long antennae.
Curious
Six Legs76
Alias
Hemideina crassidens

Wellington Tree Wētā

Male defends a harem of 1-10 females in a tree gallery. Wrestles rivals with enlarged jaws.

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On File
An eastern eyed elater (Alaus oculatus), large black-and-white speckled click beetle with two enormous concentric false eye spots on the pronotum, six legs.
Curious
Six Legs76
Alias
Alaus oculatus

Eastern Eyed Elater

Two giant fake eye-spots on her back. 380g click-launch. Largest click beetle in eastern US.

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On File
A Chinese mantis (Tenodera sinensis), large green-and-tan praying mantis with raptorial forelegs raised, six legs, side profile.
Outlaw
Six Legs84
Alias
Tenodera sinensis

Chinese Mantis

Largest mantis in North America. Eats hummingbirds at feeders. Sold as 'beneficial' garden biocontrol.

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On File
A male emperor dragonfly (Anax imperator), large dragonfly with apple-green thorax and brilliant sky-blue abdomen with black dorsal stripe, four large translucent wings spread.
Beneficial
Six Legs77
Alias
Anax imperator

Emperor Dragonfly

Largest dragonfly in Europe. 95% hunting success. Eats prey in flight. Brilliant sky-blue abdomen.

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On File
A giant burrowing cockroach (Macropanesthia rhinoceros), large glossy dark mahogany cockroach with thick rounded body, six legs, dorsal view.
Curious
Six Legs78
Alias
Macropanesthia rhinoceros

Giant Burrowing Cockroach (Rhinoceros Cockroach)

Heaviest cockroach on Earth. 35 grams. Lives in 1m underground burrows. 10+ year lifespan.

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On File
An Antarctic deep-sea sea spider (Colossendeis colossea), pale spindly arthropod with a tiny central body and eight extraordinarily long thin legs, dorsal view.
Curious
Six Legs84
Alias
Colossendeis colossea

Sea Spider

Marine arthropod with internal organs IN the legs. Antarctic giants reach 70 cm leg span.

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On File
A male Queen Alexandra's birdwing butterfly (Ornithoptera alexandrae), enormous iridescent blue-green wings outlined in black with a bright yellow body.
Curious
Six Legs81
Alias
Ornithoptera alexandrae

Queen Alexandra's Birdwing

Largest butterfly on Earth. 28 cm wingspan. Discovered by a collector who shot her with a shotgun.

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On File
An eastern carpenter bee (Xylocopa virginica), large robust bee with glossy black hairless abdomen and golden-fuzzy thorax.
Outlaw
Six Legs78
Alias
Xylocopa virginica

Eastern Carpenter Bee

Drills perfect 1.6 cm holes in your deck. Buzz-pollinates tomatoes. The big black bumblebee that isn't.

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On File
A cecropia moth (Hyalophora cecropia), large reddish-brown wings spread with white crescent moons on each wing and a red body.
Curious
Six Legs72
Alias
Hyalophora cecropia

Cecropia Moth

Largest moth native to North America. 18 cm wingspan. Caterpillar is bright green with painted tubercles.

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On File
A giant peacock moth (Saturnia pyri), enormous brown wings spread with dramatic concentric eyespots on each wing, fuzzy body and feathered antennae.
Curious
Six Legs74
Alias
Saturnia pyri

Giant Peacock Moth

Largest moth in Europe. 20 cm wingspan. The species that proved insect pheromones exist in 1879.

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On File
A white witch moth (Thysania agrippina), enormous wings spread showing mottled silver-and-black bark-like pattern.
Curious
Six Legs77
Alias
Thysania agrippina

White Witch Moth

Largest wingspan of any insect on Earth. 31 cm tip-to-tip. Larva has been seen ONCE.

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On File
A devil's flower mantis (Idolomantis diabolica) in full threat display, raptorial forelegs raised showing crimson and royal-blue striping, pleated wings spread.
Curious
Six Legs81
Alias
Idolomantis diabolica

Devil's Flower Mantis

Africa's largest mantis. Most spectacular threat display in the insect world. Crimson and electric blue.

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On File
A six-spotted fishing spider (Dolomedes triton), brown body with six pale spots on the abdomen and long legs spread on water surface.
Curious
Six Legs79
Alias
Dolomedes triton

Six-Spotted Fishing Spider

Walks on water. Catches fish. Dives underwater with an air-bubble respirator.

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On File
A wētāpunga (Deinacrida heteracantha), enormous brown cricket-like insect with thick body, six stout legs, and long antennae.
Curious
Six Legs83
Alias
Deinacrida heteracantha

Wētāpunga (Giant Wētā)

Heavier than a sparrow. Endemic to one NZ island. The mammal-substitute insect of an island without mammals.

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