The following article will provide detailed information on the top 11 ugliest insect species in the world today.
If you’re curious about which insect is considered the ugliest in the world, please refer to this article. Beauty is subjective, and what may be beautiful to one person may be considered ugly to another. Therefore, based on research and information from reliable sources such as The Richest, we will introduce the top 11 ugliest insect species in this article.
Below, we will introduce 11 insect species with bizarre appearances and ugly faces that nobody dares to touch or even look at.”
1. Dung Beetle
At the top of the list of the world’s ugliest insects is dung beetle. Also known as the scarab beetle, they belong to a group of beetles in the family Scarabaeoidea, order Coleoptera.
The dung beetles have a robust body covered in a hard exoskeleton that resembles a shell shape. Their front legs look like shovels, and their heads are pointed and slightly curved. These structural characteristics are beneficial for their daily task of searching for food.
The dung beetles have extraordinary strength and can lift an object weighing up to 8 times their body weight. They specialize in finding fresh dung to feed their offspring and create suitable locations by digging and burying the dung, transforming it into an ideal place for egg-laying.
The dung beetles are not only the ugliest insect species in the world but also have a distinctive foul odor. This is because their main source of nutrition is the decomposing waste materials in the dung of humans and animals.
2. Giant Stick Insect
Giant stick insect, scientifically known as Phasmatodea, is not only an ugly-looking insect but also the longest insect in the world. This ugly insect species is primarily found in warm climate regions, such as Southeast Asia, including Vietnam.
The giant stick insects have an ugly and rugged appearance, resembling a large moving branch. This deceptive appearance helps them camouflage themselves from predators. Additionally, they have the ability to secrete toxins as a defense mechanism when faced with dangerous situations.
3. Giant Weta Cricket
Giant Weta is an insect species belonging to the family Anostostomatidae. It is not only considered one of the ugliest insects in the world, but the giant weta also has a remarkably large size, with recorded body weights reaching up to 71 grams (according to iflscience.com).
They are mainly found in New Zealand and the South African region.
4. House Centipede
House centipede, scientifically known as Scutigera coleoptrata, has an ugly and frightening appearance. It has up to 30 legs (15 pairs), with grayish-yellow legs. The main food source of this insect species is other small harmful insects.
The house centipedes were originally commonly found in the Mediterranean region and later spread worldwide. An adult house centipede can reach a length of 25mm to 35mm, and they can run at speeds of up to 0.4 m/s on various terrains such as ceilings, floors, thanks to their advantage of having many legs.
When newly born, house centipedes only have 4 legs and they have to go through several molting stages to develop and have the full set of 15 leg pairs in adult centipedes.
5. Flying Scorpion
Flying scorpion is a hybrid insect species, combining characteristics of a bee and a scorpion. This insect species is believed to have existed since ancient times and is considered the ancestor of many different butterfly species. It still exists in the world today without being extinct.
The flying scorpion is a hybrid insect species, combining characteristics of a bee and a scorpion. This insect species is believed to have existed since ancient times and is considered the ancestor of many different butterfly species. It still exists in the world today without being extinct.
The flying scorpion has an ugly appearance and a terrifying face. This insect species is widely distributed worldwide, and only the male flying scorpions have a tail that resembles the tail of a scorpion, while females do not.
6. Puss Moth Caterpillar
Puss Moth caterpillar, scientifically known as Cerura vinula, is remarkable for its vibrant blue coloration on its body, its rough and ugly appearance. However, nature has bestowed upon this caterpillar a special ability for camouflage to intimidate dangerous enemies with its grotesque and frightening facial features.
In addition, the Puss Moth caterpillar has two tufts of hair on its tail that allow it to spray formic acid containing toxins as a defense mechanism against enemies. This type of carboxylic acid is also found in the venom of yellow ants.
7. Flower Mantis and Violin Mantis
Flower mantis and violin mantis are primarily found in the South African region. These insects adorn themselves with colorful but ugly tufted caps, serving as camouflage and intimidation to enemies when faced with danger.
Violin Mantis, also known as the Rose Mantis, is widely distributed in the Indian and Sri Lankan regions. The maximum length that this insect can reach is 11cm. Violin Mantis is covered in a peculiar structure that resembles a bundle of dry leaves, providing excellent camouflage.”
8. Treehopper Brazil
Treehopper Brazil, also known as Bocydium globulare, belongs to the insect family Membracidae and is distributed in various regions worldwide, except for extremely cold areas like the Arctic.
The Treehopper Brazil has a peculiar and ugly appearance, resembling a drawn-out bee. However, this ugly insect seems to be harmless to humans as they do not actively attack or possess defensive toxins that can harm humans.
9. Antlion
Antlion, also known as Myrmeleontidae, is an insect species belonging to the order Neuroptera. They have an impressive lifespan that can reach up to 30 years. The Antlions have the ability to lift objects weighing up to 100 times their body weight. These insects also have a special ability to survive for up to 24 hours if they accidentally fall into water.
The Antlions are distributed worldwide. However, their most common habitats are in sandy and arid regions with limited water. Some other species of antlions are found in cold temperate regions, such as the European antlion, but their numbers are usually not significant.
10. European Earwig
Loài Earwigs Châu Âu thuộc bộ Dermaptera và có tên khoa học của chúng là Forficula auricularia, Ngoài ra, nhiều người còn gọi chúng là bộ sâu tai. Loài côn trùng này gây ấn tượng với vẻ ngoài xấu xí, khuôn mặt đáng sợ.
European Earwigs belong to the order Dermaptera and their scientific name is Forficula auricularia. Additionally, they are often referred to as earwigs. These insects are notorious for their ugly appearance and frightening facial features.
The European Earwigs primarily inhabit damp environments. Interestingly, this insect species also possesses pincers at the end of their tails, which are sharp weapons used for self-defense when faced with danger.
11. Giant Burrowing Cockroach
Giant Burrowing Cockroach originates from Australia, and its scientific name is Macropanesthia rhinoceros. This insect species has a relatively large body, reaching over 7cm in size, and has a scruffy and ugly appearance.
The Giant Burrowing Cockroach has a lifespan of up to 10 years. This ugly insect species has a particular preference for living deep underground, rather than on the surface or inside houses like other common cockroach species.
Above are the summarized descriptions of 11 insect species that are considered the ugliest in the world nowadays. We hope that through this article, you have gained useful knowledge about their lives. Please share this informative article with others around you!