Big Bodacious Bugs! Part 6

1. Pepsis pulszkyi: Tarantula hawk - Size: 2.7 inches long, 4.5-inch wingspan. True to its moniker, the tarantula hawk is a wasp with the remarkable habit of eating tarantulas, despite being dominated in size by the spider. To do this, they immobilize the tarantula by stinging them, dragging them away, and consuming them whole. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the tarantula hawk also packs a punch against humans, able to deliver a painful—but nonlethal—sting (unless you're allergic). Have you ever been stung by any type of wasp?

2. Phryganistria chinensis: Stick insect - Size: 25.2 inches long. The Phryganistria chinensis stick insect is the world's longest insect, known for its incredible size and masterful camouflage. Discovered in China, a captive-bred specimen reached a record-breaking length of 640 mm (25.2 inches). It uses its slender body to mimic branches and avoid predators, with males resembling dead bamboo and females appearing as thicker, dark brown branches. Common stick insects exist on every continent, except Antarctica. Have you ever seen any type of stick insect?