10 Of The Weirdest Insects In The World

An insect is any member of the phylum Arthropoda (insects). Insects are characterized by having jointed legs, three pairs of antennae, two body segments per segment, and an exoskeleton. They have a hard outer covering called the cuticle, and their bodies contain internal organs enclosed in a protective chitinous shell. Some insects have wings, but they do not fly. Others have no wings at all, and some species lack either pair of antennae. Most insects live on land, although many aquatic species exist. There are about 5 million described species of insects.

Insects are often considered pests due to their ability to cause damage to crops and other forms of vegetation. However, many species are beneficial and play a role in the pollination and decomposition of organic matter. In fact, some species are used commercially for food production or as pets.

Insects can be divided into three subphyla: Hexapoda (true insects), Crustacea (crabs, shrimp, lobsters, etc.), and Myriapoda (centipedes, millipedes, etc.).

After learning this information, let's move on to the strangest insect species in the world.

1. The Giant Hornet

This giant hornet has been known to reach a length of over 8 inches. They are native to South America but have recently begun to invade other countries in Europe. These insects have been known to attack humans and can cause painful stings if they feel threatened.

2. Caddisfly

Caddisflies are insects that spend their entire lives in a larval stage inside a protective case called a pupa. This type of insect has been around for over 300 million years. They have been known since ancient times, but they were not named until 1811.

3. Trichogramma wasps

Trichogramma wasps are parasitic wasps that lay eggs inside other insects. These wasps are used to control many agricultural pests. There are 15 different species in this genus.

4. Stick Insects

Stick insects belong to the phasmid family. They can grow quite large, sometimes larger than your hand. Stick insects live in tropical climates and some parts of North America. They eat leaves, flowers, fruits, and even each other!

5. The Giant Water Bug (Glyptapanteles indiensis)

This giant water bug can reach lengths of over 2 inches! They are native to India and Sri Lanka. These bugs live in rivers and streams where they eat other insects. When they find themselves in your garden, they like to hide under stones and logs. They are not harmful to humans but their bite does cause irritation.

6. The African Giant Hornet (Aceratothripidae)

These hornets have been known to use their stingers to kill prey that is larger than themselves. Their venom contains chemicals that paralyze their victims. This makes them perfect for pest control since they don't need to hunt down their food.

7. The Black Stink Bug (Halyomorpha halys)

Also known as the Asian Brown Marmorated Stink Bug, this stink bug has been known to devour many different types of crops including vegetables, fruit trees, and even corn. This bug was first discovered in the US in 2002. Since then, it has become a major problem in the country.

8. The Red-eyed Leafhopper (Dicallomera fasciata)

These insects were first discovered in Australia in the year 1874 by John Macleay who was working at the time as a government entomologist. He described them as “a large green leafhopper about three inches long”. In his book, he mentioned that they were “very common in the forests of New South Wales”.

9. Honey Bee

Honey bees are insects that have been around for millions of years. They live in hives and collect pollen from flowers to make honey. They are very useful for pollinating many different types of plants including vegetables, fruits, and nuts. There are over 100 different kinds of honey bee species but they can all be divided into two groups – social and solitary.

Social honey bees are called Apis mellifera and these include the European honey bee, the Africanized bee, and the Asian honey bee. These are the ones that you usually find in your garden and they are quite docile. They nest inside a hive and their queen lays eggs and raises the young. She only leaves the hive to lay her eggs and then she returns to take care of them until they are old enough to leave the hive themselves.

Solitary honey bees are called Apidae and this includes the bumblebee, the carpenter bee, and the leaf cutter bee. Solitary bees don't build nests and instead live in holes in trees, under rocks, or in other places where they can protect themselves from predators. They do not raise their own young and instead gather food for their larvae.

10. Ladybird Beetle

Ladybirds beetles are small, brownish-black bugs that look like ladybugs. They eat aphids and other pests that harm crops. They are beneficial because they help control harmful insects. They are native to Europe and Asia and were brought to North America in the early 1900s.