The strongest insect is the dung beetle. This title is given to him for a reason, a variety of Onthophagus taurus competed in force with another insect — rhinoceros beetle. In a fair fight was won, because the beetle dung showed the advantage of almost a third.
Similar "competitions" were held at the University of London. Opportunities dung beetle has surprised scientists. If you translate the test to human parameters, the average man can drag a six-storey bus filled with people. That's the kind of weight is able to overpower the dung beetle.
Experience on the strongest insect in the world was produced as follows. To the elytra of the insect was glued thread on the other end of which was a bucket of water. Gradually, drop by drop the bucket is filled, and the scientists recorded the results. Onthophagus taurus was able to show a surprising result. He raised 1141 times the mass of your body.
This advantage is given to beetles of this species for a reason. The male will need incredible strength during the mating period. To show the female its advantage over other males, the beetle must pull a large mass of cargo.
This is evidenced by the scientist Rob Nell, who has been researching the behavior of this insect. The force is needed to push the male opponent out of a special tunnel. In the tunnel there is a female, and males try to take a place near it. The winner is the one who will be able to push his opponent with horns and great power. It is during this period that males of the dung beetle acquire maximum power.
Although in the animal world there is another inhabitant who can show the power even greater than that of the dung beetle. This is a mighty mite Archegozetes longisetosus. But he can not participate in the championship for the strongest insect, because mites do not belong to this class, and are arachnids.
