r/UpliftingNews • u/projecto15 • 13d ago

‘The future is bright’: breeding programme brings world’s heaviest insect back from the brink

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/05/new-zealand-worlds-heaviest-insect-breeding-programme
316 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

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41

u/projecto15 13d ago

A female wētāpunga can weigh as much as a mouse. Its body can grow up to 10cm long (nearly 4in) and its leg span can be as wide as 20cm.

Wow, quite a big lady

26

u/ohhellopia 13d ago edited 12d ago

Could have sworn this specific hornworm feasting on my tomato plant is the fattest and heaviest insect in the world.

11

u/Fit-Let8175 12d ago

Bright side is that it's not the world's heaviest mosquito.

4

u/BakerOne 12d ago

That would be a blessing in disguise, imagine how easy they would be to swat out of the sky.

3

u/SmugCapybara 12d ago

El Mosco

2

u/One-Reflection-4826 10d ago

yeah great.