Some insect species have characteristics or
behaviours that are absolutely amazing, especially when “scaled up” to human
terms. Here are two particularly hungry insects:
For example, we may think of man as being
the most destructive creature on the planet, but he pales into insignificance
when set alongside the humble locust. Although they only measure up to 6
centimetres long, they can easily eat their own body weight in food every day.
A ton of locusts - which would represent only a very modest swarm – can eat as
much food in a day as 2500 people.
Another big eater is the larva of the
polyphemous moth of North America. During its first 55 days it eats the
equivalent of 86,000 times what it weighed when it first hatched. If it were a
human baby, that would mean putting away 273 tons of food!
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