What kind of animal has six legs, three body
parts, and is found pretty much everywhere on Earth? [Squeaks squeaks excitedly] You’re right , Squeaks! Insects! One of the coolest things about insects is
that there are so many different kinds. Think about some of the insects you already
know, like butterflies, bees, and ants. They look really different from each other! They’re all different shapes, colors, and
sizes. Squeaks and I like to go outside and learn
more about the insects we find by watching how they move around and what they eat. Sometimes we find some pretty big ones! But they’re not even close to the biggest
insects in the world. Like this one! This is a titan beetle. The name titan actually means big or gigantic,
which makes sense, because they’re huge! These beetles can get to be over sixteen centimeters
long — longer than a dollar bill! Just like other beetles you might know, like
ladybugs and fireflies, titan beetles have four wings. A beetle’s front wings are hard, and act
as a kind of a case for the back wings, protecting them. But it’s the other ways the titan beetle
protects itself that makes it look so fierce. It has sharp spines on its body, and its jaws
are super strong. A titan beetle can bite down hard enough with
its jaws to snap a pencil in half! [Squeaks squeaks] Oh, there’s no reason to be scared of them
though, Squeaks. Even though they’re so strong, scientists
who study titan beetles have found out that they aren’t aggressive. That means they don’t attack people, or
any other animal, unless they’re scared. But there’s a lot we still don’t know
about them! Scientists aren’t sure what adult titan
beetles eat, if they eat anything at all. We do know that titan beetles live in the
warm, wet rainforest. And scientists think baby titan beetles live
underground and eat old and rotting wood, but they aren’t sure what adult titan beetles
eat — if they eat anything at all! So, not only is the titan beetle big — it’s
also a pretty big mystery! Another huge insect is the giant weta. The name that scientists use for the giant
weta means monster-like grasshopper, and it definitely lives up to its name! Giant wetas live in only one place in the
world — in the island country of New Zealand. It has some relatives that might be around
where you live, though. It’s related to the little crickets you
can hear chirping outside in the evenings. The giant weta grows to be about ten centimeters
long — which is very long, but still shorter than the titan beetle. But the giant weta is a champion if we measure
it in another way! That’s because the giant weta is one of
the heaviest insects in the world. Some giant wetas can weight about seventy
grams — as much as about 25 pennies. Giant wetas are heavier than most mice, and
even some small birds. They’re too heavy to fly, and most giant
wetas don’t even jump. That’s one heavy insect! So we’ve met a long insect...and a heavy
insect. Next, let’s meet a wide insect: the Atlas
moth. It’s pretty easy to see why this insect
is so big. [Squeaks squeaks] Yes, Squeaks, its wings! Atlas moths have some of the biggest wings
of any insect on Earth. They can get to be over thirty centimeters
wide! That’s about the size of a ruler. Like other moths and butterflies, Atlas moths
start out as a caterpillar. And these caterpillars are very hungry! They eat a lot of leaves, and grow to be very
fat. Then they spin a silk cocoon around themselves
and change into a moth while they’re inside it. Once these moths come out of their cocoons,
though, they don’t eat at all! They only live for 5-7 days, and that whole
time they get all their energy from the leaves they ate as caterpillars. The name that people from China use for this
moth means “snake’s head”, and if you look at the tops of an Atlas moth’s wings,
you can see a pattern that looks a lot like a snake’s head! Scientists think that pattern might scare
away birds or other animals that might otherwise eat the moth, since it looks like a snake
that could eat them! Between the titan beetle, the giant weta,
and the atlas moth, there are some pretty big insects out there! What’s the biggest insect you’ve ever
seen? Do you have questions about insects, other
animals, or anything at all? Ask a grownup to help you leave a comment
below or send us an email at kids@scishow.com. We’ll see you next time here at the Fort!
