The Giant Insect Longer Than a Hot Dog Crawling Around America

Insects all over the Earth come in all shapes and sizes, from pesky mosquitoes to beautiful butterflies. The teeny tiny fairyfly, for example, grows less than 0.25 inches long, while the stick insect Phryganistria chinensis can reach lengths of up to 25 inches long! Many of the biggest insects often live in tropical and temperate regions, but the United States also has some surprisingly large ones. Let’s look at the five largest insects found in the U.S.!

5. Eastern Dobsonfly ( Corydalinae cornutus ) – 5.5 Inches

Male dobsonflies are pretty intimidating with long, pincer-like mandibles, but they are actually quite harmless. Female dobsonflies, on the other hand — those are the ones you need to watch out for! While females have much shorter mandibles, they are more powerful and capable of leaving a pretty nasty bite.

Eastern dobsonflies are one of the largest insects in the U.S. Their bodies grow around 5.5 inches long, with a wingspan of up to 5 inches. Primarily near streams throughout the eastern half of the U.S., these large insects spend most of their lives in the water as larvae , using their formidable pincers to snag swimming prey. As adults, eastern dobsonflies only live for a few days.

4. Polyphemus Moth ( Antheraea polyphemus ) – 6 Inches

The giant silk Polyphemus moth gets its name from the distinct “eyespot” patterns on its wings. They look like giant eyes, reminiscent of the famous cyclops of Greek Mythology, Polyphemus .

These colossal moths have an average wingspan of around 6 inches, and caterpillars are 3 to 4 inches long. Polyphemus moths live in southern Canada, Mexico, and everywhere in the U.S. except Hawaii, Alaska, Arizona, and Nevada. Despite their large size and abundance, however, they are hard to find due to their excellent camouflage.

3. Luna Moth ( Actias luna ) – 4 to 7 Inches

The luna moth is an elegant and iconic insect that is easily recognized thanks to its stunning green coloring and elongated wings. These gorgeous wings are typically 4 to 5 inches across, but some have been known to reach lengths of up to 7 inches! Luna moths prefer spending their time in forested areas in the eastern part of the U.S. Their extra-long tails serve as a defense against predators like bats, disrupting their use of echolocation .

Like their adult counterparts, luna moth caterpillars are also bright green. Caterpillars eat a variety of plants , depending on where they live, including persimmon, sumac, hickory, white birch, walnut, and persimmon leaves. Luna moths need to get plenty to eat during their caterpillar stage of life because as adults, they don’t eat at all! They only live around one to two weeks, and they spend that time looking for a mate and laying eggs.

2. Cecropia Moth ( Hyalophora cecropia ) – 5 to 7 Inches

With an impressive wingspan of 5 to 7 inches, cecropia moths are some of the largest insects in the U.S. They have striking colors, with deep red bodies and black, white, and red wings. However, their beauty is short-lived: adult moths only live for about two weeks. In fact, they don’t really have a digestive system or a fully developed mouth! This is because their main objective is to find a mate and produce the next generation.

Cecropia moth caterpillars can also get pretty big, measuring 4 to 4.5 inches long. Although they are black when they first hatch, caterpillars transition to green with blue, yellow, and orange projections covered in tiny black spikes.

1. Giant Walking Stick ( Megaphasma denticrus ) – 7 Inches

The giant walking stick is the largest insect in the U.S. This incredible creature can grow up to 7 inches long! Like their name, they have long, thin bodies that look just like natural sticks. This provides excellent camouflage from predators and dangers.

Despite their enormous size, giant walking sticks eat leaves and are harmless to humans. One of the coolest things about them though, is that they don’t just look like sticks — they also act like sticks! For example, when it’s windy, giant walking sticks will sway to look like a real stick blowing in the breeze.

Bonus: White Witch Moth ( Thysania agrippina ) – 10 Inches

Although not native to the U.S., the white witch moth has been spotted on rare occasions in Texas . Native to South America, the largest white witch moth on record had a wingspan as long as a ruler — an astounding 12 inches across! White witch moths have a unique zig-zag pattern on their wings, with brown, cream, and black colors. This provides excellent camouflage in their native rainforest habitats.

Up Next:

• Watch Out for These Top 5 Largest Flying Insects in Canada
• 10 of the Largest Flying Insects in the World
• The 13 Oldest Insects Still on Earth Today

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