April 17, 2023
By Shreesha Ghosh
Image Source: Pexels
Delve into the fascinating world of tiny insects — from the smallest moth to the tiniest scorpion, these creatures are full of surprises. Join us on a visual journey as we discover the world's smallest insects and learn about their unique features and habitats.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
The smallest butterfly is the pygmy blue. It lives in North America, Hawaii and the Middle East. The western pygmy has a copper brown and blue pattern on its wings and they live in Southwestern United States from California eastwards to west Texas, and from Mexico to Venezuela. They have a wingspan of just 12 millimetres.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
The scarlet dwarf dragonfly is a small insect from the Odanata family. It has a wingspan of less than half an inch and is only 17 millimetres long. It's from Japan, China and Southeast Asia, but is sometimes also seen in Australia.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
The tiniest moths are pygmy or midget moths from the Nepticulidae family. The midget moth's wingspan is only 1 inch, while most moths have a 9-inch wingspan. They eat leaves as larvae and make unique patterns while munching. They can live in any habitat except polar regions.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
The tiniest insect in the fairy wasp family is a fairyfly. They grow to only 0.5–1 millimetres. They can live in many places globally, from wet rainforests to dry deserts. You'll also find them in places like Costa Rica, Hawaii or Trinidad.
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Mantises are special insects with a unique relationship to humans. Ancient Greeks believed they had supernatural powers. There are over 2,400 species in the Mantodea order, with some as tall as 3.5 inches. The smallest, Bolbe pygmaea, is only 1cm long and lives in Australia.
Image Source: Wikimedia Commons
The Microtityus minimus scorpion was discovered on the Dominican Republic's Greater Antillean Island of Hispaniola in 2014. It's the world's smallest scorpion, measuring only 11millimetres long. Despite its cute appearance, it's still a feisty creature with tiny claws and a stinger.
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The world's smallest mosquito, Uranotaenia lowii, doesn't like human blood. It's only 2.5millimetres long and prefers to bite frogs and amphibians. It can be found in the southern US, from Texas to Florida, and sometimes as far north as North Carolina.