We present you the Ugliest insects of the world. An insect is characterized by being an invertebrate animal, with six jointed legs (no, spiders are NOT insects because they have eight legs and several other morphological differences), a pair of antennae, an exoskeleton (usually divided into a head, thorax and abdomen ), compound eyes (met omatidios or facets) and in most cases they are winged.
They have sexual reproduction, sexual dimorphism (the female and male are different), and generally lay eggs (there are exceptions that produce larvae). From hatching to full adulthood, they undergo a process of metamorphosis (larva or nymph, pupa and adult).
From the beautiful butterflies to the commonly hated cockroaches, in the nature They are available in a wide variety of shapes, colors and sizes. Included in this list are those who, at certain stages of their lives, appear truly awful to the vast majority of people. Therefore, they are considered one of the Ugliest insects of the world.
Ugliest insects: Waterbug (Belostoma flumineum)
After mating, the female ensures that the male is not unfaithful to her by placing the eggs on his wings and giving him the job of caring for them until they hatch. Right now this bug looks very strange and not attractive at all. The bite of these hemipterans is extremely painful and their venom can cause permanent injuries. Therefore, he is not only one of the Ugliest insectsit’s dangerous.
Ugliest insects: Cicada (Cicadidae)
We usually hear the sound its wings produce, especially in summer, and although it is not a beauty, it has an exotic touch that attracts attention. But during its nymph stage, from the time it hatches from the egg until it molts as an adult, it lives buried feeding on the sap it extracts from the roots (it is a hemipteran) and its physiognomy is not pleasant at all.
Ugliest insects: giant thorny stick insect (Extatosoma tiaratum)
In addition to being very large (it can reach 20 cm) and extremely ugly, it has an incredible ability to camouflage itself among plants. (mimicry), meaning his predators can’t find him easily. The female has no wings, but has more spines than the male. Neither of them would win a beauty pageant and that’s why they belong to the Ugliest insects.
Ugliest insects: Hercules beetle (Hercules Dynasties)
The male of this species has a set of horns that make him really ugly and somewhat alarming: the upper part of his thorax and the lower part of his head. The long horn, which is covered in hairs and often grows almost as long as the beetle’s body, is the deterrent they use to confront each other in battle for a female. They can grow to a size of seventeen centimeters and are harmless to humans.
Ugliest insects: Brahmin moth (Brahmaeidae)
Just like in the story of the ugly duckling, this truly terrifying caterpillar is actually the larva of one of the most beautiful moths in existence, a cousin of butterflies, as both belong to the genus Lepidoptera. Without a doubt, further proof that appearances can be deceiving, especially under Ugliest insects of the world.
Ugliest insects: grasshopper moth (Stauropus fagi)
The adult individual is a simple yellow-gray moth which, apart from appearing quite hairy, shows no major rarities. But its larva is, because it is considered the ugliest insect in the world. His body bends over itself so that it appears as if he is always on the defensive and his overall appearance is truly ferocious.
Ugliest insects: Lymantrid moth (Dasychira pubidunda)
Although this moth does not show any particularly striking features as an adult, in its larval stage it is a yellow caterpillar, full of stinging hairs and with a powerful chewing apparatus, that looks like something out of a horror movie. What actually happens is that it feeds on Danish beech leaves which are quite hard, which explains the need for those jaws.
Ugliest insects: stuffed moth (Megalopyge Opercularis)
The larva of this moth is a small caterpillar, which is not only decidedly ugly, despite being called a stuffed animal, but is also extremely dangerous, because all the filaments covering its body contain a poison that causes quite unpleasant skin irritation (it is there there have been cases of death due to severe allergies). The adult is not a beauty, but at least it is not poisonous.
Ugliest insects: Rezno (Human dermatosis)
The name rezno is applied to several flies belonging to the family of stridids (Oestridae) that commonly attack livestock and wild animals. The adult looks for a vector where it deposits live larvae (mosquitoes or other insects) and when they approach the victim, the blackberries crawl under the skin and begin to feed on what is around them until, when they reach adulthood , flying away from the environment. host. . They pose a danger and do not belong alone to the group Ugliest insects of the world.
The Human dermatosis It is the only one that attacks humans and depending on where the larva is located, the person may not even feel any discomfort because the insect itself secretes antibiotics. He does this to keep his ‘food’ in good condition, because the larva dies in the event of an infection. Besides being uncomfortable and bad company, it’s also quite disgusting.
Ugliest insects: Leaf locust (Stilpnochlora couloniana)
Although not beautiful, it is harmless to humans, although fatal to crops, plants and trees. A specialist in stealth, he blends in with his surroundings as a form of defense, eating anything within reach of his powerful jaws for lunch. 