An Elementary Study of Insects: Insect Studies for Children

The world’s largest insect is a walking stick from Borneo. Including the legs, it is 20 inches (about 50 centimeters) long. The heaviest insect in the world is the African goliath beetle. Large goliath beetles can be 4 inches (10 centimeters) long and can weigh a quarter of a pound (110 grams). Already about 900,000 species of insects have been found and have received a name, but still many more insect species have to be discovered. The fastest insect is the dragonfly. The insects can reach a speed of about 58 km per hour. Many people in the world eat insects. In some countries there are farmers who produce insects and sell them as tasty snacks. There are several insects that can produce light, for example fireflies. Note that a firefly is not really a fly; it's a beetle.