The presence of human civilization doesn’t mean wildlife is
completely pushed to a more quiet region — big cities are home to large rats and
cockroaches, while a person living in a swampy area like Florida might go
into his backyard to find an alligator hanging out in his pool. In the more
untouched areas of the world, though, wildlife is not only free to roam, but
free to grow. A team from the Insect Museum of West China went on an expedition
in Sichuan, China, and came back with a horrifyingly large dobsonfly — the
largest of its kind.
There are over 220 species of dobsonfly, and they can reach up to 4.9 inches (12.5 centimeters) in size. Making them look even larger, their wingspan can double their body length. Aside from giant bugs being inherently gross, the male dobsonfly is particularly scary due to its giant, sharp mandibles that can grow to an inch in length. However, the males’ mandibles are so big in proportion to their bodies, that the insects can’t effectively wield them in order to break human skin. The females, though, can draw blood with a bite.
The good news is that the insects aren’t venomous, but the bad news is that they use a stinky anal spray as a form of defense, similar to a skunk.
This wingspan of this individual dobsonfly stretches out to a giant 8.2 inches (21 centimeters), edging out the previous largest dobsonfly’s wingspan at 7.48 inches (19 centimeters). If it’s difficult to comprehend the size of the fly relative to the hand of the brave soul holding it, the picture above of the egg should help with scale.
This type of insect can be found in the Americas, South Africa, and Asia, and typically hangs out under or near bodies of water. They only spend about seven days out in the open at their full size before they die, and spend the rest of the time underwater or hiding under large rocks. So, odds are you won’t run into one, thankfully.
There are over 220 species of dobsonfly, and they can reach up to 4.9 inches (12.5 centimeters) in size. Making them look even larger, their wingspan can double their body length. Aside from giant bugs being inherently gross, the male dobsonfly is particularly scary due to its giant, sharp mandibles that can grow to an inch in length. However, the males’ mandibles are so big in proportion to their bodies, that the insects can’t effectively wield them in order to break human skin. The females, though, can draw blood with a bite.
The good news is that the insects aren’t venomous, but the bad news is that they use a stinky anal spray as a form of defense, similar to a skunk.
This wingspan of this individual dobsonfly stretches out to a giant 8.2 inches (21 centimeters), edging out the previous largest dobsonfly’s wingspan at 7.48 inches (19 centimeters). If it’s difficult to comprehend the size of the fly relative to the hand of the brave soul holding it, the picture above of the egg should help with scale.
This type of insect can be found in the Americas, South Africa, and Asia, and typically hangs out under or near bodies of water. They only spend about seven days out in the open at their full size before they die, and spend the rest of the time underwater or hiding under large rocks. So, odds are you won’t run into one, thankfully.
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