Many people on the planet are negative about bugs. Indeed, most species cause a lot of trouble, especially those that drink human blood. When they start in the apartment, the owners are tormented by the question of how to get rid of these unpleasant creatures. There are about 40 thousand species on the planet, but in our short review the largest bedbugs in the world are presented. Among the multiple species, we take those that are more than 10 mm.
The largest bug on the planet is Belostomatidae. These are large water bugs, discovered and described in 1815 by the English zoologist William Elfordrm Lich. Adult specimens of the white-breasted can reach a length of up to 17 cm. But still, we begin our article with smaller bugs.
The biggest bugs in the world:
13
Bedbug / Cimex lectularius
This species grows no more than 6.3 mm, but we will make an exception and include it in the list. It is this home or furniture bug that gives a person the most problems.
They feed on human blood, and having settled in a residential building, they are very difficult to remove. There are modern and popular methods of getting rid of unpleasant little neighbors, but the insect easily adapts to toxic substances and mechanical methods. It is difficult to fight, since they do not have a nest, destroying which, you can get rid of unwanted residents. It is noted that in recent years in large cities, including Moscow, there have been significantly more such bugs.
Not only adults, but also larvae feed on blood, and bug bites are very painful. Leads a parasitic lifestyle. Most likely they appeared in antiquity in caves in the Middle East, and for the first time they were described by the scientists and playwrights of Ancient Greece. TheBiggest Edition wishes you never to encounter these insects in your life.
12
Bedbug / Pyrrhocoris apterus
The most famous representative of the redbugs in the vastness of Russia. Reaches a length of 11 mm. This is one of the first insects that appears with the advent of spring.
Widely settled throughout Europe, North America. There are some species in North Africa. At the end of summer they gather in large groups on the sunny sides of stumps and trees. They also winter in large clusters. It feeds on plant juices, and very rarely other insects. Females lay eggs in the leaves of plants. This leads to the death of leaves.
Recognizable insect by characteristic coloring. On the red body are black spots of various shapes. On the back, a beautiful contrasting pattern is obtained.
11
Elasmostetus birch / Elasmostethus interstinctus
A bug with an unusual species name grows to 11.5 mm. Lives mainly in the forests of Europe. It is also found in Canada and among the cold expanses of Alaska.
They live on the branches of broad-leaved trees. They feed not only on birch leaves, but also on beech, willow and cypress species of plants. Prefers wooded areas, but can also settle in the city.
The main color of the shield and head is green with a characteristic pattern. On the shield are pinkish stains in the form of small triangles. Beetle has been known since the XVIII century, and in the XX century, large studies on them, as well as other insects, were conducted by Russian entomologists Bella Striganova and Anatoly Zakharov.
10
Harmful Turtle / Eurygaster integriceps
In the photo from thebigges a relatively large bug. The most dangerous crop pest belongs to the large family of bug turtles. Widely settled in the forest-steppe regions of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus. They are found in Central Asia and North Africa.
Adults reach a length of 1.3 cm, and the body itself is rounded thyroid. The main color is light brown with dark spots. Its appearance resembles a small turtle, which is why it got its species name. The entire life cycle of such "turtles" takes place in places, cereal crops grow more gently.
For humans, this species is not dangerous. As the animal and man draw near, it simply falls to the ground, pretending to be dead.
By the way, there is a very interesting article about the largest turtles in the world on thebiggest.ru.
9
Cleaver leafy / Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale
This beautiful bug from the family of wood shields from Portugal to the countries of Eastern Europe lives. The body length of adults reaches 12–16 mm.
Settles on wild trees, in gardens and park areas. It feeds on leaves of broad-leaved trees, but does not cause much harm. Interesting, but there are individuals who freely feel on pine trees, eating needles.
In winter, they fall into hibernation, having managed to reach the adult stage of development. In the spring, after exiting suspended animation, they begin the mating season. The Swedish scientist Carl Linnaeus introduced them into the taxonomy of insects. He was the first to describe the appearance and lifestyle of the leaf cleaver.
8
Green woody shield / Palomena prasina
Green bugs belong to the family of real shield bugs, and you can recognize them by the characteristic color and unpleasant odor. They grow to 16 mm.
They settled throughout the temperate zone, and in winter hibernate. They appear with the onset of the first warm days, in late April and early May. The people justifiably received the nickname "bug-stink". The glands of the insect emit a characteristic pungent odor.
A flying bug has small wings. There are two antennae on the head, and there are small notches along the edges of the shield. An omnivorous bug settles on tree leaves, berry crops, and can also harm crops of cereal crops. It feeds on plant foods.
7
Linear shield / Graphosoma lineatum
A beautiful-looking bug grows to 1.1 cm, and they are also called "Italian bug". Its coloring very much resembles in color the shape of the Vatican guards.
It is easy to identify it by longitudinal red and black stripes on the shield. Among the people, because of such war coloring, he also received several nicknames - “bug-tiger” and “bug-whale”. They settled in the southern regions of Russia, Transcaucasia and the countries of Central Asia.
It feeds on plant sap, but prefers to settle in meadows, where various varieties of umbrella species of plants grow. With an increase in population, these large bugs can be harmful, but in such cases they are easily collected by hand.
6
Bug bug / Dolycoris baccarum
A large bug, growing to 1.2 cm, is also called berry. The fact is that most often it can be found on berry garden shrubs of currants, raspberries, gooseberries.
It received its species name by the characteristic structure of the shell, which resembles a shield in shape. Coloring is usually gray or reddish-brown. There are also yellow adults. You can find out that such a pest has settled in your garden by the characteristic brown spots on the leaves of berry crops and dried fruits.
In the meadows they feed on the juice of young shoots of plants. In general, it is an omnivorous insect. They settled throughout the temperate zone, but due to their small numbers do not bring much harm.
5
Gladysh ordinary / Notonecta glauca
The representative of a large family of smoothies who choose a habitat for freshwater bodies of water and rivers with a slow course. Adults reach 15 mm in length.
The color of the elongated body depends on the color of the bottom of the reservoir in which the freshwater bug lives. The abdomen is always darker than the elytra, since this insect swims in the water column on its back. There is a small proboscis on the abdomen with which the insect pierces its prey.
A water bug swims perfectly and can be under water for up to 10 minutes. Float to swallow air, as they breathe atmospheric oxygen. Most have three pairs of limbs, so the river bug has the most legs among all waterfowl bugs.
4
Pond pond / Gerris lacustris
Some species of water meters from the genus Gerris can grow up to 3 cm in length, but on average do not exceed 1.5 cm. The pond water was first described by the renowned Swede Karl Linnaeus in 1758.
The most common species in Russia. It is active in spring and summer, and in the fall flies for the winter to the southern regions. It is also found in Europe, northern Asia and the north of the African continent. For life, he chooses calm ponds, ditches and even large puddles. The water strider is a predator, and hunts other insects very well.
They have excellent eyesight, and they also communicate with honey by hitting their paws on the surface of the water. On the legs there are hairs that perfectly catch even the smallest vibrations.
3
Water Scorpions / Nepidae
From the species name it is clear that these bugs live in water. They are distinguished from other species by grasping limbs and a kind of breathing tube in the back of the body.
Unusual insect grows up to 4.5 cm. Species diversity is surprising. There are 230 species of water scorpions on the planet, combined in 14 large genera. Tropical and temperate latitudes of the Northern hemisphere were chosen. To capture the victim, use a front pair of limbs that look like scorpion claws.
Due to the fact that they do not swim very well, they spend most of their lives in ambush. They sit on sheets of plants above the water and wait for the victim. They feed on mosquito larvae, fish fry, tadpoles and small arthropods.
2
Ranatra
It differs from ordinary water scorpions by an elongated rod-shaped body. The front exciting limbs are similar to the legs of a mantis.
There are specimens whose size is 5 cm. They live mainly in tropical latitudes, choosing calm rivulets and small calm reservoirs. In Europe and North Africa, there are three species of waterfowl.
Leads a sedentary lifestyle. Sits calmly on the leaves of aquatic plants, waiting for their victims. When attacking, captures food with the forelimbs. In water, like all aquatic scorpions, it breathes through a breathing tube at the end of the body.
1
Bialystoma / Belostomatidae
A large water bug was discovered and described in 1815 by the English zoologist William Elfordrm Lich. Adults grow up to 17 cm in length.
The main habitats are found in the tropical regions of Southeast Asia and in parts of the Americas. They settle in warm shallow ponds. The body is flat, oval in shape, resembling a fallen leaf. Great dive and can be under water for a long time.
These are predators. With a large amount, they cause significant harm to fisheries by eating fry. They also feed on frogs, amphibians, and worms. They can attack cub turtles. For a person, it is not dangerous, but if accidentally pressed, it can sting painfully.
Conclusion
So we found out what big bugs look like. They are widely represented in Russian literature. In Gogol's “The Inspector General”, bedbugs haunt the adventurous Khlestakov, and Vladimir Mayakovsky has a whole comedy called “Bedbug”. This word has a positive, affectionate meaning. In one of the works of Anton Chekhov, bedbugs are called small children. A funny find of the Russian classic is often used by parents in relation to their children and now. The editors of thebiggest.ru are happy to hear your comments. Write, have you seen big bugs in life and how do you feel about them?
Article author: Valery Skiba