25 Largest Insects Ever Found In World

We are in a constant battle to keep the bugs in the garden out of our homes. These bugs will make you triple your efforts. Scattered all across the globe, these insects are the largest, heaviest, or longest of their kind, with gloriously massive wings or even terrifying 1-inch stingers that we can only hope we never run into. These 24 insects are truly fascinating specimens of the animal kingdom.

I. Butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera)

1. Ornithoptera alexandrae

(By MP, Wikimedia Commons)

This butterfly is known as Queen Alexandra’s birdwing. it is the largest butterfly in the world, and can grow between 6 cm (3.1 in) and 16 cm (6.3 in) in length, with a wingspan ranging from 20 cm (8 in) to 25 cm (9.8 in). It is an endangered species indigenous to the Oro Province in eastern Papua New Guinea

2. Attacus Atlas

(By Maghdp, Wikimedia Commons)

This species is called the Atlas Moth and is one of the largest moths in the world with a wingspan measuring 25 cm (9.8 in) to 30 cm (11.8 in). It is found across South Asia, East Asia, and Southeast Asia.

3. Thysania Agrippina

(By Acrocynus, Wikimedia Commons)

This moth goes by the name White witch moth, as well as mariposa emperador, ghost moth, great grey witch, and great owlet moth. It currently holds the world record for largest wingspan at 30 cm (12 in) and is found from Uruguay to Mexico and parts of Texas.

II. Beetles (Coleoptera)

4. Goliathus goliatus

(By Didier Descouens, Wikimedia Commons)

It is the largest species of Goliath scarab beetles, growing from 5 cm (2 in) to 11 cm (4.3 in). You can find it across western to eastern equatorial Africa.

5. Goliathus albosignatus

(By E. Smith, Wikimedia Commons)

This beetle grows up to 4 cm (1.6 in) to 7 cm (2.8 in) and is found in Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.

6. Goliathus regius

(By Hectonichus, Wikimedia Commons)

This black and white beauty is called the Royal Goliath beetle and grows between 5 cm (2 in) and 11 cm (4.3 in). It can be found in western equatorial Africa, in countries such as Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Sierra Leone.

7. Goliathus cacicus

(Wikimedia Commons)

Also known as Chief Goliath, this beetle measures from 5 cm (2 in) to 10 cm (3.9 in). It is found in the same African countries as the Royal Goliath Beetle.

8. Goliathus orientalis

(By Goliathus, Wikimedia Commons)

This gargantuan beetle grows around 5 cm (2 in) to 10 cm (3.9 in). It can be found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in Tanzania.

III. Cockroaches (Blattodea)

9. Megaloblatta

(By Qualiesin, Wikimedia Commons)

This creepy crawler grows to 9.7 cm (3.8 in) in length and has an 8-inch wingspan and is most commonly found in Mexico, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Colombia, Panama, Ecuador, and Peru.

10. Blaberus giganteus

(By Hectonichus, Wikimedia Commons)

This chameleon of a cockroach grows between 7.5 cm (3.0 in) to 9 cm (3.5 in). It can be found scattered across the western hemisphere, in Mexico, Guatemala, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana, more specifically in the Rain forests of Central America and the northern part of South America.