Need an anchor on the ship. Amazing device: how a tiny anchor holds a huge ship. Types of anchors by purpose

Quite a few species of insects existing on Earth are considered by people to be creepy, scary or strange. Do you agree? But today I will tell you about truly unique species of insects that have real superpowers.

Cockroaches

Cockroaches are perhaps the most hated creatures in the entire world. Despite this, they are also the most powerful. The mere presence of one cockroach in the house can make the strongest, most powerful people jump, run, and scream like girls.
However, what most people don't know is that cockroaches hold a lot of importance in the medical world. A number of researchers are currently studying cockroaches for their ability to treat some of the most devastating human diseases. Scientists have discovered that cockroaches' brains contain "nine antibiotic molecules... that protect them from voracious, deadly bacteria." So what does this have to do with modern medicine? The fact is that the antibacterial molecules found in the brains of cockroaches are more powerful than the antibiotics we use today. In fact, the antibacterial properties of these disgusting bugs are far more effective than some of our modern drugs, making "prescription drugs look like sugar pills." Laboratory tests have shown that antibacterial molecules found in cockroaches can easily cure methicillin-resistant staphylococcus, a bacterial infection that is more deadly than AIDS and E. coli.
Besides their amazing healing powers, cockroaches also have the incredible ability to survive nuclear explosions. When Hiroshima and Nagasaki were destroyed by atomic bombs, the only survivors were cockroaches. However, it is important to note that this amazing ability has its limitations. When exposed to 100,000 units of radon, cockroaches still die.

Bees

Bees are one of the most intelligent insects in the animal kingdom. In addition to having their own sophisticated means of communication, they also have extraordinary navigational skills despite their limited vision.
It is common knowledge that honey bees can communicate with each other. They perform a series of movements called the "waggle dance" to tell each other where food is or what place is best for building a new colony. However, many people do not know that dance is very complex and incredibly advanced for such tiny creatures. Honeybees know that the Earth is round, and they take this fact into account when they learn the location of a particular food source. Apart from this, they can also calculate the angles very easily just by reading the data of their waggle dance. For example, if a bee dances in the direction from 12 to 6 o'clock, this means that food or home is located directly from the sun. In contrast, moving in the 6 to 12 o'clock direction means the bees need to "fly straight to the sun." Movement in the direction from 7 to 1 o'clock means that the bees need to fly "to the right of the sun."
In addition to communicating with each other, honey bees also navigate their surroundings through other means, such as remembering visual cues, taking into account the position of the Sun, and using the Earth's electromagnetic field.

Locust

The locust is one of the most efficient pilots in the insect world. Considered a threat by many people, these winged creatures can fly long distances without using too much energy. Over the years, scientists have studied them and learned that even if these insects do not make frequent kicks and flaps, they are able to maintain a steady pace of flight. Their ability to maintain a steady flight rate does not change even if winds and air temperatures become unfavorable. This amazing ability allows them to travel great distances without spending a lot of energy.
What's even more amazing is that locusts have the ability to twist their wings while flying. By doing this, they can maintain and even control the number of swings they make. This, in turn, helps in maintaining their flight at a constant speed. This additional feature allows them to fly up to 80 kilometers in one day without the need for rest.

Fireflies

The amazing ability of fireflies to produce their own light is a marvel in the animal kingdom, and a source of inspiration and joy for many of us. As a child, you probably experienced the magical feeling that comes from seeing the twilight flicker of these amazing creatures.
Another thing we humans can learn from fireflies is how to use energy efficiently. Fireflies were designed by nature to use energy without losing much of it through heat. The light bulbs in our homes use only 10 percent of their total energy to produce light. The remaining 90 percent becomes wasted thermal energy. On the other hand, fireflies' amazing bodies are designed so that they can use 100 percent of their energy to produce light. If fireflies were like light bulbs, in that they only used 10 percent to produce light and released the remaining 90 percent as heat energy, they would almost certainly burn to death.
Additionally, just like bees, fireflies can also communicate with each other. Fireflies use their ability to produce light to signal to each other that they are ready to mate. Male fireflies emit different types of flickers (each species has its own unique combination) that signal to female fireflies that they are “single.” At the same time, if the female firefly is interested in mating, she also responds with flickering.

Fleas

Fleas are not only harmful to your pets, but also to you and your family. Despite this, there is something about them that deserves human admiration: these insects are capable of jumping to a height of 150 times their own height! This may not seem very surprising if you consider this possibility from an insect perspective, but if you consider it from a human perspective, you will discover that the fleas that haunt your pets are actually incredible creatures.
Let's take the following example: the height of a certain person, let's call him Bill, is 175 centimeters. If he were a flea, he would be able to jump 263 meters into the air, thereby essentially defying gravity. Just imagine how different our world would be if we had this amazing ability of fleas. There would be fewer cars, less pollution, less costs, etc. So the next time you squash a flea, think about what it can do.

Dung beetles

There are two reasons why dung beetles were included on this list: feces and astronomy. It may surprise you, but these two seemingly unrelated subjects were connected by these incredible creatures.
Dung beetles lead a very disgusting lifestyle. They collect animal feces, roll it into a ball, and use it for various purposes. They can use the ball as their home, lay eggs in it, or snack on it if they are hungry. However, the amazing thing is that dung beetles have the incredible ability to roll their “dung balls” in a straight line, even at night! Intrigued by this intriguing ability, Marie Dacke, a biologist at Lund University in Sweden, conducted an experiment. She placed dung beetles in a planetarium, and observed how the insects could successfully roll their dung ball in a straight line with the help of "all the stars in the sky."
To make the experiment more interesting, Dake decided to show only the Milky Way Galaxy. Surprisingly, the dung beetles were still able to roll their precious dung balls in a straight line. Bottom line: Dung beetles are amazing recyclers and incredible astronomers.

Dragonflies

We humans have an amazing ability to selectively pay attention. Right now, you are using this ability to eliminate various distractions and focus on reading and understanding this list. For many years, scientists believed that only primates possessed this amazing ability. However, a new study has found that a certain winged creature in the insect world also has selective attention - the dragonfly.
Dragonflies have very small brains, yet they rely on selective attention to hunt. If a dragonfly sees a swarm of tiny insects, it focuses its attention on just one individual. Through selective attention, it eliminates other potential prey in the swarm and focuses solely on its target. Dragonflies are very precise when it comes to catching their prey. Their success rate is very high - 97 percent!

Ants

Ants have the amazing ability to always find their way home, even if they have wandered far from home in search of food. Scientists have long known that ants use various visual cues to remind them where their colony is located. However, what is interesting is how ants manage to find their way home in some places, such as deserts, where there are no clear landmarks? Dr Markus Knaden, Dr Kathrin Steck and Professor Bill Hanson from the Max-Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Germany tried to answer this question using a simple experiment.
For their experiment, scientists used Tunisian desert ants. They placed four different scents around the entrance to the anthill and made sure that the entrance was barely visible. After giving the ants enough time to associate the odors with their home, they removed the odors and then placed them elsewhere, on their own, without a nest or entrance. At the new location there were only four scents that were previously used at the previous location.
Surprisingly, the ants went to the place where the smells were located (in the same place where the entrance to the nest should have been)! This experiment proved that ants can smell in stereo, meaning they have the ability to simultaneously smell two different odors coming from two unique directions. Moreover, the experiment also proved that in places like deserts, ants do not rely on visual cues. They create a “smell map” of their environment using their “stereo sense of smell.” As long as the smell is present, they will always find their way home.

Wasp wasps

Ichneumon wasps are so named because of their “magical” ability to turn their prey or enemies into “zombies.” It may sound like something out of a science fiction movie, but scientists have proven that wasps are actually capable of inducing other insects into a zombie-like state. Even creepier is the fact that once the insects become zombies, the wasps can control them.
Ichneumon wasps lay their eggs inside the bodies of young moth caterpillars. The larvae inside the caterpillars survive by feeding on the body fluids of the host. After the larvae fully develop, they escape from the caterpillar's body, eating through its skin. They then create a cocoon and attach themselves to a leaf or branch. But here's the slightly creepy, but no less interesting part. The caterpillar carrying the wasp eggs does not leave the cocoon, instead of minding its own business, the caterpillar acts as a bodyguard for the cocoon, protecting it from various predators.
Researchers conducted an experiment that showed that infected caterpillars actually become "zombie bodyguards" for ichneumon wasps by putting them face to face with stink bugs. The caterpillars, which were not infected, did nothing to stop the stink bugs passing near the cocoon. In contrast, infected caterpillars defended the cocoon by knocking the beetle off the branch. Scientists don't know why the infected caterpillars protected the cocoon. However, they learned that this incredible ability of ichneumon wasps plays a critical role in their survival.

Bombardier Beetle

When it comes to defensive strategies in the insect world, nothing beats the bombardier beetle. This creature has the incredible ability to shoot a hot mixture of chemical solution powerful enough to cripple its enemies. The toxic mixture sprayed by the beetle can reach an impressive temperature of 100 degrees Celsius.
However, even more fascinating is the complex body design of the bombardier beetle. The fact is that both chemicals, hydrogen peroxide and hydroquinone, which this insect uses to mutilate its enemies, are dangerous and fatal. If not stored and mixed properly, these chemicals will cause the Bombardier Bug to explode! If it weren't for their well-designed bodies, bombardier beetles would not exist. At the end of the abdominal cavity of this insect there are two glands. They separate hydrogen peroxide from hydroquinone. If a bombardier beetle feels threatened, its sphincter muscles squeeze the right amount of chemicals into a specific part of the body, where they mix with other toxic substances. The result is a hot mixture of toxic chemicals that can cripple the Bombardier Beetle's enemies.

In contact with

Insects appeared on the planet long before people. They can be considered the rightful masters on Earth, since this class is the most numerous in all fauna. Despite their relatively small size, they were able to populate all continents, including cold continents and arid regions. Among the insects of our planet you can find amazing representatives that have an interesting appearance or lead an unusual lifestyle.

Their variety is amazing: some are unexpectedly large, others can barely be seen; There are those that surprise with their beauty, and some specimens evoke disgust or even fear. The top 10 contains the most amazing insects found in nature.

These animals never live alone. They create complex colonies with a clear distribution of functions. This feature is due to the fact that termites have lost the ability to take care of themselves and are therefore completely dependent on the community, like the cells of one living organism.

All actions of individual specimens are so clearly controlled that the illusion of the existence of a single “superorganism” is created, the power of which exceeds the power of many large animals. People often associate termites with ants, but their closest relatives are cockroaches.

Termites make it into the top 10 amazing insects and animals thanks to the queen of the colony - a reproductive female who, after only leaving the termite mound for mating, loses her wings and eyesight. Her abdomen begins to grow and lay eggs. Their number can reach 30,000 daily!

All members of the termite mound are born from such clutches. Termites touchingly care for their mother: they bring her food, clean her body and transfer eggs to special incubators. And the queen herself is unable to move, because while she lies in the nest, her large body continues to grow, turning her into a helpless prisoner of a labyrinth of narrow passages leading to the outside world.

For such cohesion, termites are ranked 10th in the ranking of the most amazing insects in the world.

In the 9th position are a special type of fireflies - pyrophores.

Many fireflies have the ability to emit a mysterious light that attracts people. Their luminescent organ is located at the very tip of the abdomen and contains many photogenic cells. The glow occurs due to the oxidation reaction of a fatty substance – luciferin.

Fireflies of the genus Pyrophora have achieved impeccable mastery in controlling the brightness and duration of glow. These inhabitants of tropical forests can turn on 2 different colors on their body at once: the “flashlight” on the abdomen glows bright orange, and on the chest – green.

The brightness of the glow produced by pyrophores is a record among representatives of this class - this beetle can shine 150 times brighter than an ordinary firefly. Local inhabitants use pyrophores to light their way at night by placing several beetles on their hats.

The title of the heaviest representative of the class rightfully goes to the Goliath beetle. It received its specific name precisely because of its impressive weight.

The male of this species occupies the entire palm of an adult and weighs about 100 g. It is quite difficult to hold it in your hand, since in addition to its great weight, it has impressive power, which it demonstrates to anyone who tries to catch or hold it.

Goliath larvae are even larger: they exceed even their parents in size and weight. With a length of 15 cm, they weigh 110-120 g. The appetite of such larvae is amazing: while gaining weight, they can eat not only leaves, but also their fellows.

These amazing creatures are protected because they were coveted and prized specimens in many entomological collections and were destroyed uncontrollably for 200 years.

The Goliath beetle takes 8th position as the owner of the largest weight in the insect class.

Wild-pomorpha wasp

In 7th place are amazing insects with the smallest sizes.

Among the necessary organs, males have long hind legs that help hold the female during mating. After the function is completed, the male remains on the female for some time, and then the male’s tiny body quickly becomes exhausted and dies.

6th place was taken by the family of cicadas, namely the species of paddlefish, which is considered the loudest in the insect world.

Despite their miniature size, not exceeding 3 mm, these singers can produce a sound comparable to the volume of an orchestra or the power of a jackhammer. Only males of this species can sing with such enthusiasm when calling females for mating.

The sound intensity of which one rower is capable is 120 dB. It is easy to imagine how locals suffer when mating season begins in their area. Considering the small size of cicadas, it is quite difficult to find such a singer in the house, since it prefers to climb into the cracks between the boards or into the empty space under the wallpaper. Such concerts continue for 3-4 nights in a row, during which insomnia is guaranteed for the owners of the house.

This amazing insect lives in Russia, and its numbers are gradually increasing every year.

Not only animals, but also people suffer from such an ant. They have a pair of glands in their heads, which, in case of danger, produce a large amount of a substance toxic to humans. When this poison comes into contact with the skin, a sensation comparable to a severe burn occurs. The pain quickly increases, and the affected area becomes bright red, sometimes blisters appear, as if exposed to fire.

Ants do not attack people just like that, they protect their homes, which can be arranged in the house, in garbage cans, in sheds and utility rooms. As soon as a person approaches their home, the entire colony of fire ants attacks him, spreading throughout his body and stinging him repeatedly. More than 30 people die from such attacks every year.

These aggressive insects cannot be forced to leave their habitable place with the help of chemical poisons or ultrasonic repellers, so often the owners have no choice but to move to a new place.

The 4th position is occupied by the orchid mantis for its exotic appearance.

This rare and amazing insect lives in Malaysia and Thailand, where many orchids bloom in the wild. The praying mantis is very similar in color and shape to the petals of these plants, which helps it hunt orchid pollinators. He sits down not far from fragrant flowers, and pollinators mistakenly land on him, after which they fall into his tenacious paws.

The color of the orchid mantis is not constant: the main color is white, but depending on the shade of the flower next to which the insect is located, the color of its body or legs may also change. At a young age, such variability is very pronounced, but with age, the ability to change gradually weakens.

Due to its amazing appearance and unpretentiousness to living conditions, the orchid mantis is often kept at home and enjoyed the beauty of this representative of the exotic tropical fauna.

In 3rd place is the Atlas peacock butterfly, which is the largest representative of the insect world. Its wingspan is 26 cm, which causes real admiration among people.

This giant lives in eastern countries - China, India, Pakistan, etc. The largest specimen was discovered on the island of Java, its length was 26.2 cm. It was a female, since females of this species are much larger than males.

The Atlas Peacock-eye is most active in the evening, when dusk sets in. In poor lighting, it is often mistaken for a silent bird.

Its lifespan is very short: immediately after reproduction, the butterfly dies. She does not even have a mouth, since in adulthood she does not eat, but lives off the reserves that accumulated during the larval stage.

People appreciated not only the size of the peacock eye: its huge cocoons in Taiwan are used as wallets, and tourists willingly buy such souvenirs. In addition, fagar silk is produced from cocoons on a commercial scale, which is superior to silkworm thread in strength and durability.

Position No. 2 is rightfully occupied by representatives of the insect world, which during movement develop the speed at which we most often drive cars. Dragonflies of the southern giant yoke species are capable of flying at a speed of 54 km/h while pursuing prey. Thus, in just a couple of hours they can cover hundreds of kilometers.

During flight, a dragonfly flaps its wings up to 150 times per second, so the human eye cannot distinguish its wings at such a speed. At the same time, they perform masterful techniques: they accelerate sharply, freeze in one place, and can fly backwards and forwards.

Scientists still do not fully understand all the principles of the skillful flight of dragonflies, their flights of tens and hundreds of kilometers, as well as endurance and mechanisms for replenishing energy expended during exercise. Bionics specialists have already borrowed a device from the dragonfly that helps ensure flight with a jet engine, and it is possible that it will suggest many more innovations that can be implemented in helicopter construction.

1st place among the 10 most amazing insects is occupied by cockroaches - creatures that most people have seen. They never aroused sympathy, but they earned sincere admiration due to their adaptability.

The cockroach's survival abilities are limitless: despite all attempts to get rid of these representatives of the animal world, they continue to live next to humans for many centuries.

When completely deprived of food, the animal feels great for a long time and dies only after 50 days, and sometimes more than 2 months, using body reserves to maintain life. During this time, the cockroach can have time to mate and lay larvae. During periods of hunger, he limits his movement so as not to waste extra energy.

The lack of water will kill it much faster - within a week, but this is still quite a lot compared to other animals.

Cockroaches are able to live even without a head: they can remain in this state for a couple of weeks. This is possible because large vessels do not go to the head, and the nervous system does not suffer seriously after such damage.

Experiments with high levels of radiation have shown that this factor is not able to destroy them. Therefore, cockroaches will be our neighbors for a long time and, quite possibly, will outlive humanity.

For such adaptability to external conditions, the cockroach tops the ranking of the most amazing insects on the planet.

Do you like insects? Let's try to guess: most likely not. Not many people consider insects their favorite animal, and that's understandable.

Fortunately, not every type of insect is so disgusting and unpleasant to look at. Of the more than a million species of insects described by man, there are also many beautiful, interesting and even cute ones, and this is exactly what our post will be about today. As you'll see from this list, some insects can be amazingly beautiful, and for that we have Mother Nature to thank.

From incredibly colorful grasshoppers, moths, butterflies and beetles to stunningly beautiful orchid mantises and tropical butterflies Troides aeacus, we are pleased to introduce you to 25 stunningly beautiful insects that live on our planet!

25. Urania Madagascar (Chrysiridia rhipheus)

Endemic to Madagascar, Urania madagascarensis, or Chrysyradia madagascarensis, is a large diurnal butterfly, famous for its strikingly beautiful colors. Very popular among collectors, it is considered one of the most impressive and attractive looking insects on the planet.

24. Western American filly (Taeniopoda eques)


The Western American grasshopper is a large North American locust native to the arid southwestern regions of the United States and northern Mexico. The species is unique in that it uses its black color for thermoregulation and is chemically protected. Sematic coloration warns predators that they are poisonous.

23. Dragonfly Pachydiplax longipennis


Mostly distributed throughout the United States and Canada, the dragonfly Pachydiplax longipennis is a bright, colorful dragonfly from the family True dragonflies. Found in ponds, lakes and swamps, these beautiful insects are actually ferocious predators that feed on other flying insects.

22. Indian flower mantis (Creobroter pictipennis)


Also known as the jewel flower mantis, Creobroter pictipennis is a species of mantis native to Asia. Adult males grow up to 38 mm, and adult females grow a little more. This species of mantis is the most acceptable as a pet with a 90% larval survival rate.

21. Sailboat Ulysses (Papilio ulysses)


The Ulysses swallowtail is a large swallowtail butterfly with a beautiful coloration, the wingspan of which reaches 105 mm. Named after the ancient Greek hero Odysseus (Latin: Ulysses), this butterfly is most common in Australia, where it is even a symbol of tourism.

20. Butterfly Greta Oto, or Glass butterfly


Found primarily in Central and South America, the Greta Oto butterfly is a nymphalid butterfly known for its wingspan, which can span up to 61mm. The tissue between the veins on its wings is transparent because it lacks the colored scales that other butterflies have.

19. Common tongue (Macroglossum stellatarum)


Known for its distinctive coloring, the common tongue, or star-shaped moth, is a butterfly from the hawkmoth family, similar to a real hummingbird (in the English version this species of butterfly is called the “hummingbird butterfly”). The butterfly's elongated proboscis even imitates a bird's beak. The common tongue is distributed throughout the northern territory of the Old World - from Portugal to Japan - but lives only in warm climates.

18. Caterpillar of the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus)


The monarch butterfly is one of the most famous and beautiful butterflies in the world, but it is perhaps even more stunning in its larval stage. The brightly colored caterpillar goes through five main distinct growth stages, and after each of them it molts.

17. Gold beetle Chrysochroa fulgidissima


Known in Japanese as "tamamushi" (meaning "rainbow-winged insect"), Chrysochroa fulgidissima is a large, metallic green, iridescent-colored beetle native to Japan and native to the Land of the Rising Sun. , Taiwan, Vietnam and China. It can be found in forests and wooded areas in the summer under the hot sun. Adults grow to 30-41 mm in length.

And if you think this beetle is the cutest, then wait until you get to number 12!

16. Silkworm (Bombyx mori)


The silkworm is a domesticated butterfly of the true silkworm family, whose caterpillars play an important economic role in silk production. The reproduction of domestic silkworms is closely dependent on humans as a result of thousands of years of selection.

15. Bronzovka (Cetoniinae)


Bronze beetles are a subfamily of lamellar beetles (scarabs) that pollinate flowers, collect nectar from them and feed on them. There are about 4000 species of these, many of which have not yet been described. The electric green bronco species pictured here is native to Australia.

14. Butterfly Papilio chikae


Endemic to the Philippines, the Papilio chikae butterfly is a large, brightly colored butterfly species that was discovered in 1965. Unfortunately, the attractive appearance of this butterfly has led to it becoming endangered due to increased interest among collectors.

13. Shield bug, or Picasso beetle (Sphaerocoris annulus)


An adult Picasso beetle can reach a length of almost 8 mm. Its main color is green, and 11 ring-shaped spots can be seen on the elytra. The coloring of these beetles is a warning to predators: if disturbed, they emit a poisonous odor.

12. Golden turtle beetle (Charidotella sexpunctata)


Found naturally in North and South America, the Golden Tortoise beetle is a species of the Leaf Beetle family. It feeds on bindweed and sweet potato leaves. Ranging in color from reddish-brown with black spots to golden, these beetles are most often metallic in color, earning them the nickname “golden beetle.”

11. Carthaea saturnioides butterfly caterpillar


Native to the Western Australian bush, the Carthaea saturnioides butterfly is a species of moth that is considered the only species of the family Carthaeidae. The caterpillar of this species is colored gray-blue on the back and yellow on the abdomen with a clear pattern resembling eyes.

10. Saturnia moon (Actias luna)


One of the largest butterflies in the United States, the Saturnia luna has a wingspan of up to 114 mm. This lime-green butterfly ranges from the eastern Great Plains to northern Mexico and from Saskatchewan east to Nova Scotia in Canada.

9. Orchid mantis (Hymenopus coronatus)


Found in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia, the orchid mantis is characterized by its brilliant coloration and structure, ideally suited for camouflage that mimics orchid flowers. The praying mantis can also change its color between shades of pink and brown, depending on the background color.

8. Cicadas (Cicadellidae)


Leafhoppers are plant-eating insects that suck sap from grass, shrubs and trees. Found everywhere, leafhoppers are the second largest family of hemipterans, with at least 20,000 described species. The beautifully colored insect pictured is a leafhopper of the species Eupteryx Aurata.

7. Day butterfly Parthenos sylvia


Parthenos sylvia is a species of butterfly in the family Nymphalidae native to Southeast Asia. Known for their impressive colors and ornate patterns, these butterflies are widely distributed in countries such as Burma, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, New Guinea, Malaysia and the Solomon Islands.

5. Ladybug (Coccinellidae)


Widely distributed throughout almost the entire world, the ladybug is a small beetle, easily recognizable by its black spots on its wings. Most ladybugs are red, but they can also be yellow or orange. Scientists have discovered and described more than 6,000 species of ladybugs.

4. Butterfly Troides aeacus


This large, colorful butterfly belongs to the Swallowtail family. Found in most countries of Southeast Asia, the Troides aeacus butterfly is one of the largest butterflies in the world, with a wingspan of up to 16 centimeters.

3. Fulgoroidea


These insects are known for their remarkable resemblance to leaves, branches and other characteristic features of their habitat. There are more than 12,500 described species of fulgoroids in the world, ranging from inconspicuous to extremely colorful and bizarre-looking insects. The photograph shows the fulgoroid Laternaria candelaria.

2. Owl Butterfly (Brahmaea Hearseyi)


Scientifically known as Brahmaea hearseyi, the owl moth is a species of large moth found in parts of Burma, China and the Philippines. With a wingspan of up to 200 mm, these insects are one of the world's largest species of moths.

1. Hyalophora cecropia caterpillar


Hyalophora cecropia is the largest nocturnal moth found in North America. Females have a wingspan of 160 mm, although even larger figures have been documented. The caterpillars of these moths are most often found on maple trees, but they can also feed on cherry and birch leaves. These insects are distinguished by characteristic hairy tubercles throughout their bodies.

They are voracious, hardy and ubiquitous - these are not all the interesting facts about insects. Want to know more? A selection of 15 reliable information from the life of representatives of the largest class of animals on Earth will help you with this.

1. Mosquitoes feed on plant sap and nectar. But some of them suck blood not out of hunger, but to obtain proteins necessary for bearing offspring. Thus, only females are bloodsuckers, and males are absolute vegetarians.
2. Despite the fact that the female mosquito is forced to consume blood, she chooses the “dish” meticulously. Females are bitten by females more often than males, and blondes are preferred to brunettes. Gourmets identify victims by smell: they like overweight people, athletes, pregnant women, people with second and third blood groups.

   

3. One of the reasons for the prevalence of mosquitoes in the environment is the high viability of their eggs.. The offspring of insects do not care about unfavorable conditions. Mosquito eggs can lie in cold, dry soil for up to 3 years, and then come to life when the weather warms and the soil becomes moist.

   

4. The largest representative among Lepidoptera is Agrippa (Tizania). The butterfly, whose wingspan is 30 cm, belongs to the moth family and lives in Latin America. The second record holder in the “largest” category is Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing.

   

5. The smallest butterfly, Acetosea, has a wingspan of only 2 mm.. You can see these nocturnal babies in the UK. The reticuloses that live on the Canary Islands are just a little short of the title of “smallest butterflies”.

   

6. Live to the fullest - this seems to be the life motto of ephemeris or mayfly butterflies. In one day, these insects manage to be born, leave offspring and die. Such butterflies do not need to look for food, since their digestive organs are filled with air.

   

7. The most poisonous spider, according to the compilers of the popular collection of the Guinness Book of Records, is the “Brazilian wanderer”. The insect received its nickname for its excessive activity.

   

8. There are cannibals among spiders. A clear confirmation of this is the black widow, which lives in Eurasia, Australia and Oceania. After mating, the female of this species devours the smaller male, as she spends a lot of energy during the mating season.

   

9. The largest spider on Earth is considered to be the Goliath tarantula (Teraphosa blond). The insect lives in the tropics of Latin America, eating small snakes, mice, frogs and lizards. The size of the body with straightened legs is 25–28 cm.

   

10. Ants are one of the oldest insects on the planet.. Their age is 100–130 million years. It is also interesting that having survived to this day, they have practically not changed in appearance. The reason for this adaptability, according to scientists, lies in the social way of life.
11. Some of the ants not only hunt, but also engage in cattle breeding. Herder ants “graze” scale insects, leafhoppers, aphids, and keep homoptera in “stalls.” The reward for their labors is the sweet excrement of “cattle” that goes into food.

    

12. The main occupation of Amazon ants is wars, during which they capture the pupae of strangers. The captives are then used as slaves. The militants themselves are not able to feed themselves, since they cannot organize their daily life.

    

13. Not only spiders are poisonous, but also caterpillars. The most dangerous butterfly larva is Lonomy, which lives in the American rainforests. She has a calm disposition and inconspicuous coloring, but the spines on the caterpillar’s ​​body contain a strong toxin that acts as an anticoagulant.

    

14. A stunning example of survivability - a cockroach. With his head severed, he can live for weeks. To respond to touch and move, the insect does not need a brain. Instead, the basic reflex functions are performed by clusters of nervous tissue in the body.

    

15. The most voracious insect in the world - the desert locust. This pest, which lives in Asia and Africa, eats as much as it weighs every day. A flock of 50 million individuals per day destroys food that would be enough for 1 thousand people for six months.