Moths belong on this list on account of their huge wingspans. While there are many impressive species, the atlas moth, which hails from the tropical forests and shrublands of Asia, is probably the largest of its kind.
The runner-up in our quest for the largest bug in the world is the tarantula hawk, which belongs to a group of several spider wasp species. Their names are derived for their tendency to consume tarantulas, which can make for quite a gruesome process.
The weta, which actually means "god of ugly things" in the indigenous language of Maori, is completely endemic to New Zealand and its surrounding offshore islands. These large flightless crickets grow up to 4 inches long and weigh about 2.5 ounces.
Measuring up to 6.5 inches long, the titan beetle is endemic to the Amazon rainforests. Although technically smaller than the Hercules beetle, this species actually has a much bigger body, since it completely lacks a horn of any kind.
The stick insects (also known by many other names, including walking sticks, leaf insects, and ghost insects) are a vast order of insects that consists of than 3,000 species, almost all of them characterized by a spindly, flat, tube-like appearance.
There are many examples of massive butterflies, including the Jamaican swallowtail, Miranada birdwing, and Rippon's birdwing, but the Queen Alexandra's birdwing stands above the rest. Named in honor of Queen Alexandra, who was at the time the wife of King Edward VII of Britain.
Named after the famous hero of Greek mythology, this enormous species of rhinoceros beetle hails from the rainforests of Central America, South America, and the Caribbean islands. The most prominent characteristic is the huge horn that extends from the thorax ,
The goliath beetle is a genus of five currently recognized species that inhabit the tropical rainforests of Africa. The most prominent physical characteristics are the striking and unusual patterns and markings on their back. While these beetles only measure about 3 to 4.5 inches