Titan Beetle (Titanus giganteus)

Deep in the Amazon forest, you will indeed find many large beetles. However, Titan beetles will catch your attention. The Titan beetle is the biggest insect in the beetle family3, with a body length of up to 6.5 inches.

The Titan is so big that they may be unable to take off from the ground. It will need to launch its wings from a tree to gain momentum. 

Interestingly, scientists have not observed the Titan beetle larvae. However, based on the sizes of boreholes in trees, their larvae are also quite long. Titans also have huge mandibles and strong jaws. These mandibles can rip into human flesh. When threatened, this beetle makes a hissing sound to defend itself. 

While the Titan beetle is the largest beetle, it is not the largest insect in the world.

Stick Insects (Phryganistria chinensis)

Stick insects, also known as leaf insects or ghost insects, are some of the largest insects in the world, consisting of about 3,000 species. They are also some of the longest ones in the order Phasmatodea. 

The longest stick insect belongs to the genus Phobaeticus, including the species Phobaeticus serratipes  and Phobaeticus chani, each with a body length of up to 21 in.

However, the world’s longest insect record belongs to a newly discovered species called the Phryganistria chinensis. This stick insect has a body length measuring 25 in. It was found and bred at the Insect Museum of West China.

This big insect has a flat tubular appearance resembling a stick. It can easily hide from predators by blending into branches and leaves. The stick insect can play dead on tree branches to defend itself until the predator loses interest. It may even lose a leg to escape predators and regenerate it later.

Atlas Moth (Attacus atlas)

The next on our list of giant insects in the world is the Atlas moth. You can find Atlas moths located all over Asia. This insect is so big that it is considered one of the largest species of moths2. 

However, only the White Witch moth and the Hercules moth have a longer wingspan than the Atlas moth. The Hercules moth is the largest moth in the world. The Atlas moth has a wingspan that falls between 249 to 250 mm in females and from 210 to 230 mm in males. 

The moth has beautiful snake-like patterns on its wings, which help it protect itself from predators. Also, at the larval stage, the Atlas moth releases a secretion to help guard against predators like ants, lizards, and birds.

Tarantula Hawks (Pepsis pulszkyi)

Tarantula hawks are the largest wasps in the world. These large species can measure up to 2 inches long. These wasps are formidable predators capable of hunting down tarantula spiders, a food source for their larvae. The female tarantula hawk lays its eggs in the spider’s abdomen, and when these eggs hatch, they eat the spider alive.

What’s notable about the Tarantula hawk is their massive stingers. These stinging wasps have some of the most painful insect stings in the world. The pain from the tarantula hawk species Pepsis grossa sting is second only to the bullet ant.

Giant Water Bugs (Lethocerus americanus)

The Giant water bug comes next on our list of one of the largest insects in the world. Known as toe-biters or alligator ticks, the giant water bug is a formidable predator in ponds and streams. 

These water bugs deliver a painful bite using their giant pincers and inject venomous saliva into their prey. They thrive near slow-moving water and feed on tadpoles and small fish. 

The largest species of the giant water bug can grow up to 4.5 inches. The biggest water bugs belong to the genus Lethocerus, with species Lethocerus grandis and Lethocerus maximus striving for the title of the biggest bug in the world.  

In South and Southeast Asia, people eat these giant bugs and consider them a wonderful delicacy.

Hercules Beetle (Dynastes hercules)

Known for its massive horns, the Hercules beetle is one of the longest species of beetles on our planet1. You will only find these longhorns in male Hercules beetles, which they use to fight other males when looking for a mate. 

This horn also accounts for more than half of the male Hercules beetle, bringing them to a length of up to 7 inches. You can find Hercules beetles in Central and South America rainforests and the Caribbean islands.

Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing (Ornithoptera alexandrae)

In the remote regions of Papua New Guinea, you will find the butterfly species called Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing. This beautiful butterfly is also the largest in the world. It is so rare that a single specimen could cost thousands of dollars. 

Regarding their body and wingspan, the females have a slightly larger body and wingspan than the males. The female's body can measure up to 3 inches with a wingspan of over 10 inches.

Sadly, the Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing falls under an endangered species due to habitat destruction.

Actaeon Beetle (Megasoma actaeon)

The Actaeon beetle is one of the biggest insects in the beetle world. It belongs to the family Scarabaeidae and is a rhinoceros beetle. This beetle is named after a famous Theban hunter in Greek mythology.

Its body measures about 50 to 120mm, and its dorsal surfaces are matte or shiny black. It has large tarsal claws and powerful legs. You will notice appendages resembling horns on the head of the male beetles. The females lay eggs, which take around nine months to develop. 

The Actaeon beetle is also one of the heaviest insects. In 2009, experts found the heaviest Actaeon, weighing 228 grams in the northern regions of South America, nearly the same as a female rat.

Elephant Beetle (Megasoma elephas)

Elephant beetles do not have a trunk or look like elephants, but these beetles are one of the largest insects on the earth. While they do not have trunks, the male species have horns, which they use to show dominance, competing for food and mates. The males are also bigger than the females. But these beetles can grow up to 5.11 in.

They are black but have yellowish hair, making them yellowish-black. You can find these creatures in tropical environments in parts of Mexico and South and Central America. Elephant beetles are herbivores and feed on sap and tree bark.

Chinese Mantis (Tenodera sinensis)

The Chinese mantis is a praying mantis species native to China and other parts of Asia. It has a long, slender body appearing in brown and green colors. It is longer than most praying mantises and grows between 2.75 and 4 in long.

The Chinese mantis is a carnivore and can tackle and eat large insects, including grasshoppers, crickets, cockroaches, moths, and spiders.