Of all the species of living organisms that inhabit the earth, the most diverse are insects. It is almost impossible to be able to recognize all of their types. But it is interesting to learn about their strangest representatives.

Top 10 weirdest insects in the world

belostomatids

Belostomatids (or giant water bugs) are one of the largest insects. They are found in water bodies in different parts of the world. Their body length can reach 10 centimeters. In addition, they have large, powerful pincers, which can make a water bug's bite very painful.

Getting closer to the victim, they suddenly and quickly attack it, and then through the claws they inject a digestive enzyme into it, which liquefies the victim's insides. After a while, the bug sucks up the resulting semi-liquid mixture.

leafhoppers

Leafhoppers are small, brightly colored insects that live on plants. An adult grows no more than 15 mm in length. A group of leafhoppers can cause significant damage to the trees and plants they inhabit, as they feed on plant sap - the main nutrient of plants.

lumberjack titan

Growing up to 150 mm in length, titan beetles are considered the largest beetles in the world. They live in the rainforests of South America. They have a large flat body and curved, sharp and powerful jaws. With their help, a titan lumberjack can easily crack a pencil into two pieces.

The larvae of the titan lumberjacks feed on rotten wood. But like adult moths, adult titan beetles do not eat anything. Despite their intimidating appearance, these beetles are not dangerous or aggressive. However, when they sense a threat, they whistle and may bite.

beetle weevil

Weevils are one of the most unusual and beautiful insects in the world. They are distinguished by a long front part of the head, thanks to which they got their name. Despite the beautiful colors, weevils are pests, as they feed on the acorns of oak trees.

Australian stick insect

This large insect has a long curved body covered with spikes. Lives in Australia. The body length of adults is from 9 to 13 cm. Females are larger than males. They live on trees, especially on eucalyptus, so eucalyptus leaves are their main food. To better climb trees, Australian stick insects have claws on their feet that provide better grip on the tree bark.

On the site you can also get to know most of the Australian continent.

giant weta

Giant weta (Deinacrida) are one of the largest insects on the planet. An adult insect weighs up to 35 grams, and the body length is about 7–10 cm. They live only in New Zealand. Due to their massive body, Vets cannot jump or fly. They also have very long legs and antennae.

Giant weta have another interesting feature - the way they breathe. They don't have lungs, so they breathe through holes in their bodies.

Yazykan ordinary

One of the most amazing and unusual insects. These butterflies are very similar to hummingbirds - they have almost the same wings, long tongue, flight style, movements and even the sounds they make. These amazing butterflies are found in the warm regions of Southern Europe and North Africa.

Adults have a wingspan of 40–45 cm. The color of the wings varies from brown to burgundy. They are diurnal and hover over flowers like hummingbirds.

Predators (killer bugs)

Predatory insect, widespread throughout the world. There are over 7,000 species of predators of various sizes and colors. But most representatives have an elongated body and long legs.

These are quite dangerous insects. They often attack prey that are many times their size. Having attacked the prey, they inject poison into it through their proboscis, causing paralysis. The bite of a killer bug is very painful.

Hercules beetle

These are one of the largest insects on Earth. They live in the jungles of Central Africa. Male Hercules beetles have a long horn on their heads, making them one of the longest beetles in the world. Some individuals reach 18 cm in length.

The size of the horn varies depending on the size of the beetle. Females do not have such a horn. In addition, Hercules beetles are incredibly strong. They can lift up to 850 times their body weight.

scorpions

At first glance, you can understand why these insects got such a name. Yes, they are very similar to scorpions. To be more precise, males have the same curled up tails. But unlike the scorpion, these insects do not sting.

The elongated body, long antennae and long beak also add to their unusual appearance. In addition, they have a yellow body, red head and large eyes.

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Conclusion

Of course, this is only a small part of all the amazing insects that inhabit our planet. We have a great interest in this topic, so on the site you will find many more interesting articles about insects and other beautiful, strange, dangerous and not only animals.

Man has many fears. It has become common to call fear of something phobia. And by name phobias It's clear what exactly people are afraid of.

Some fears are inherent in many people, but there are quite a few. rare phobias.

Top 10 weirdest and most ridiculous phobias!

Arithmophobia - fear of numbers or, scientifically, an obsessive fear of a number that acquires individual significance for the patient.

Many are afraid of the number 13, they hardly need to be reminded that soon) And the number 666 is generally the number of Satan.

Acribophobia - fear of not understanding the meaning of what is read. Sometimes you sit, read, and don’t understand what - the reason for this can be anything, for example, you think about something else, in such cases they usually say that thoughts are somewhere far away, or maybe the text is really very complex (technical) and there is not enough education in any field to understand it. But people are usually not afraid of not understanding the text, usually!

Globophobia - fear of balloons. Not quite an ordinary fear, which can be divided into several parts. In one case, people are afraid to suddenly burst. Imagine such a picture, walking calmly down the street, and then BAM!!! burst) Yes, it’s really scary, that’s why people are afraid. In another case, people with this phobia are afraid to fly into the sky on balloons - apparently they do not know how many helium balloons are needed for this!

Metrophobia- judging by the name, this is a fear of the subway, but this is not entirely true. Metrophobia is the fear of poetry in all its manifestations. People who have this phobia are immediately shivering as soon as they imagine that they will read poetry or listen to someone else read it.

Internet phobia - fear of the Internet. Accept my congratulations!!! If you are still reading this article, then most likely you do not suffer from Internet phobia. What a strange phobia due to modern technology

Penteraphobia - fear of mother-in-law or mother-in-law. And what? sometimes this phobia is inevitable ... in general, it all depends on the person)

Genuphobia - panic fear of the knee. The owners of such a strange phobia are afraid of their knees. Strange of course, what's so terrible about them? But you cannot convince these people, they avoid all places where you can suddenly accidentally see a bare knee.

Anatidaephobia- the fear that somewhere in the world there is a duck that is watching you. It sounds stupid, of course, but ... what if. We just don't notice them! but some are already in the know and they are hiding from the ubiquitous eye of a duck!

Hippo- fear of long words and concurrently the longest phobia! On purpose or not, everyone named a phobia meaning fear of long words. longer. Apparently, the inventors of the names do not have a sense of humor, because they did not regret as many as 33 letters for this phobia.

And a little anecdote on the topic:

At the doctor's appointment.
Doctor: I think you havephobia!
Patient: aaaaaaaaaaaa...and faint
Doctor: Well! Exactly!

Phobophobia- no comment!

Reading time: 4 minutes

Lawyer, driver, teacher, manager - professions that we meet at every step. But there are people with jobs in this world, which is hard to imagine. Your attention to the top 10 most strange and extraordinary professions near and far abroad. And yes. They really get paid for it!

  1. cow pedicurist

The first of the list of the strangest professions is this option. It is believed that the condition of the cow's hooves affects her health, and the amount of milk, and even reproductive function. Therefore, on the large cattle farms of Europe and America, people work whose main task is to put the legs of their subordinates in order.

  1. parmesan listener

Did you know that Italian parmesan can sing? Many productions of this cheese variety employ people with higher musical education. What they do every day is tap the parmesan tubers with a small silver mallet and listen to its sounds. The cheese matures for three years and during this time new notes should appear in its sound every day.

  1. armpit sniffer

There is such an unpleasant profession as a smell specialist, in the common people - an armpit smeller. It is the responsibility of such specialists to test deodorants, sprays and antiperspirants on a group of people. That is, apply these products to them, smell them and note how the smell changes during the day.

  1. condom tester

And this is a much more pleasant profession. Millions of condoms are produced every day, and it's all thanks to the people who test them before. Typically, manufacturing companies recruit a group of workers of about a thousand people and conduct research on their products for about a year.

  1. egg sniffer

In the big European pastry shops there are people whose job it is to smell the freshness of an egg and make sure that spoiled eggs don't end up in baked goods and confectionery.

  1. Breath Taster

Gum companies also have their own experts for research. A breath taster is a person who checks how chewing gums cope with their main task during the day.

  1. Toilet guide

Enterprising Chinese not so long ago once again became famous all over the world for their interesting profession. A couple of years ago, people appeared in the squares and parks of the country who, for just 4 cents, show anyone in need the location of the nearest public toilets. The profession is a public service.

  1. ant catcher

A representative of this difficult profession catches the largest and most correct individuals of ants in the wild, so that later they can be used for breeding on artificial ant breeding farms.

  1. The seller of tears

In Asian countries, people are closed and stingy with emotions, so at funerals they resort to a very interesting service of “mourners”. The duty of these people is to create an atmosphere of grief and cry crocodile tears without end. To enter such a service, one must know the traditions very well, be artistic and be able to sob sincerely and dramatically.

  1. milker snake

And the last, most dangerous profession on our list. Somewhere on Earth there are people whose work is called "serpent milking". These people, risking their lives every day, extract poison from the most dangerous and poisonous snakes in the world. All this is done for medical purposes.

So whatever you do, and whoever you work with, remember that there is a person in the world who every day gives Burenka a pedicure. These were the strangest professions in the world. Share with your friends if this was interesting.

Some of these strange hotels look funny, others are slightly repulsive, and still others can be disgusting. If you are an advanced traveler, then you will definitely want to visit some of them and replenish your luggage of tourist experience.

Hotel in the dog

Located in Cottonwood, the Sweet Willy Hotel is built in the shape of a giant dog. Hotel-dog reaches more than 10 meters in height and 5 meters in width. The double room is located in the dog's stomach, and the loft room is in the chin. The establishment is also decorated with dogs inside - paintings, statues, rugs, etc. This is an unusual hotel for serious dog lovers!


Sovohotell

You may have come across a hotel in a mall, but this is the only hotel in an IKEA store. Here you will be provided with sleep mask pillows and soothing music for weary shoppers. Single and double beds are available, as well as a honeymoon suite. At the same time, you can shop, relax and again continue your trip to the Ikea departments.


Propeller Island Lodge

This hotel is located in Berlin, Germany. And he's really weird. Each of the 27 rooms is completely different from the previous one, and has some oddities. For example, there is a room completely made of mirrors, and the interior of a prison cell is equipped in another. And the creepiest room of all is the Crypt, where guests are offered to spend the night in a coffin.


Hotel in Boeing

When you see this Boeing 727 in the Costa Rican jungle, you might think that it crashed in a tropical paradise. But in reality, this plane was decommissioned from the San Jose airport and taken to the jungle. The interior has been refurbished and refurbished. In the right wing of the hotel in Boeing, there is a large wooden deck from where you can enjoy the beautiful scenery. The restored Boeing is perched at a height of 15 meters and offers an incredible experience.


Hotel Kokopelli

This unusual hotel in Farmington, New Mexico is located in a cave. His rooms were carved into the mountainside in 1980. Holes were also drilled for ventilation, plumbing and electricity. The only way to access the hotel on the steep cliff is via stairs. If you want to be here, you will need to sign a liability waiver in case of problems.


Marmara Antalya

This 214-room hotel is located in Turkey. The balcony offers views of the Mediterranean Sea, the Taurus Mountains and the city of Antalya. But what makes it special is the fact that the hotel building rotates. The 24-room loft literally floats in the pool, and 6 electric motors allow it to complete a full 360-degree rotation several times a day. As a result, each guest enjoys breathtaking views of all the surrounding sights. This hotel received an international award in 2007 for the most innovative invention in tourist accommodation.

Salt hotel

Bolivia's Palacio del Sal is the only hotel in the world built entirely of salt. The walls, the floor, the ceiling and even the furniture are all made of salt. Over a million salt blocks were used in the construction process. This is not surprising, since the Salt Palace is located next to the Uyuni Salt Flats - the largest salt flat in the world. If you ever visit a strange hotel, you should know that the rules forbid licking the salty walls to prevent them from collapsing.


Utter Inn

Set in the middle of Sweden's Lake Malaren, Utter Inn is a truly unique hotel. For starters, there's only one room. The complex consists of a deck and a cabin floating in the middle of the lake. There is a steep staircase that leads down to the bedroom. Your bedroom is essentially an aquarium with an overview of the underwater world. If you want to stay here, you will have to get to the dwelling by boat, or inflatable canoe.


ice hotel

The very name ICEHOTEL suggests that the strange hotel is completely made of ice. Most of the furniture, including the beds, is made from snow and ice. The temperature inside is approximately -5 degrees Celsius. Among other things, ICEHOTEL is unique in that it melts and rebuilds every year. Every November, a large group of architects restore the rooms, the bar and the chapel from several hundred tons of ice. You will definitely want to visit this hotel while traveling in Sweden. You can read about other unusual ice hotels in a separate article.


Mirror Cube

Located in Sweden, the Mirrorcube Hotel definitely deserves the title of the strangest hotel in the world. Your “room” is a 1 x 1 x 2 meter aluminum box wrapped around a tree trunk. If it's not strange enough, the structure is covered with one-way mirrors that reflect the entire surrounding nature. The Mirror Cube accommodates two people and has a double bed, bathroom, living area and roof terrace. A rope bridge is used to enter. In addition, the Mirror Tree Hotel is one of the best

Did you know that most of the most unusual animals on the planet are endangered species? How many species go extinct every hour, day, year? If not, read the post until the end.

10. Kitoglav (lat. Balaeniceps rex)

Kitoglav or royal heron is a very large bird. Its average height is 1.2 m, wingspan 2.3 m, and weight 4-7 kg. It lives in the tropical swamps of East Africa.
A huge beak similar to a shoe allows the shoebill to skillfully catch fish. The same beak prevents the bird from getting any other food.

The eyes of the shoebill are located in front of the skull, and not on both sides like in most birds, this allows him to see everything in volume.

Kitoglavs are rare birds, their number is about 10 thousand. Man destroys the habitat of these birds and destroys their nests. The species is listed in the Red Book.
Kitoglav was discovered in 1849, less than a year later it was already scientifically described.

No. 9. Glass Frogs (lat. Centrolenidae)

Glass frogs are a family of tailless amphibians.
At first glance, it seems that these frogs are completely ordinary. But if you look at their bellies, you can understand why they are called glass. Through the bellies of frogs you can see all the internal organs. Their skin is translucent.

Europeans first discovered these frogs in 1872 in Ecuador. Representatives of this family can be found in the northwestern part of South America, in Central America and in several other areas of South America.

More than 150 species of glass frogs have been described so far. Glass frogs are usually not very large, ranging in size from 3 to 7.5 centimeters. Such frogs live, as a rule, on trees in mountain forests and only during the breeding season reach the water.
Glass frogs lay their eggs on the leaves of trees or shrubs growing directly above the water, although one of the species is more attractive for laying eggs on stones near waterfalls.

One way or another, as soon as the tadpoles hatch from eggs, they immediately fall into the water from a height and continue to live and develop in the water.

No. 8. Platypus (lat. Ornithorhynchus anatinus)

The platypus is one of the most unusual animals in the world. The platypus is the only modern member of the platypus family. The platypus belongs to the class of mammals. This unique animal is one of the symbols of Australia. The platypus is depicted on the reverse of the 20 Australian cents.

The platypus was first discovered in the 18th century during the colonization of New South Wales. At that time, it was defined as "an amphibious animal from the genus of moles."

The skin of a platypus was first brought to England in 1797, then an unusual animal caused fierce controversy in the scientific community. At first, the hide was thought to be a fake taxidermist. But doubts were dispelled by George Shaw, who examined the skin for the presence of stitches and did not find them. He also gave the name to the new species in 1799.

The platypus is a poisonous mammal. Males have spurs on their hind legs, from which toxins are released during the mating season. Platypus venom can kill small animals, but not humans. In a person, it will cause severe pain and swelling will form at the injection site, which will spread to the entire limb.

No. 7. Tapir (lat. Tapirus)

Tapirs are herbivorous animals from the order of artiodactyls, resembling a pig with a trunk in appearance.

The average size of tapirs is about 2 meters long, about a meter high, and weighs 100-300 kg.
Previously, tapirs were very common, but today only 5 species remain.
Tapirs are common in Central and South America and in Southeast Asia.

Despite the large number of predators that feed on tapirs, the main enemy of tapirs is man. Hunting for tapirs for meat and skin has significantly reduced their population. Tapirs are threatened with extinction. Tapirs are listed in the Red Book.

No. 6. Fantastic leaf-tailed gecko (lat. Uroplatus phantasticus)

This amazing creature lives in the forests of Madagascar. It is quite difficult to notice it, because in the shape of the body and in color it looks like a dry leaf. For the red eyes of some individuals, they received the name - fantastic or satanic geckos. The habitat of this species is the north and center of Madagascar.

The body length of adults is 9-14 cm, most of which is occupied by a long flat tail, similar to a leaf. The gecko's color can vary from gray and brown to green and yellow.

This type of gecko was first discovered in 1888 by the Belgian naturalist George Albert Boulenger.

The species is endangered due to uncontrolled capture and destruction of their natural habitat.

No. 5. Starship (lat. Condylura cristata)

The starfish or starfish is a very unusual mammal that lives in North America. On the muzzle of the star-nosed twenty-two skin growths in the shape of a star. Such a nose is adapted for digging underground passages and works excellently as an organ of touch. The rays of the nose move very quickly, checking for edibility all objects in their path.

The animals are excellent swimmers, and find food not only on the ground, but also in the water. They mainly feed on worms, mollusks, larvae, and small crustaceans.

Natural enemies of star-noses: owls and other birds of prey, mustelids and skunks. Human activity has greatly reduced the natural range of starfish. However, starfish are not rare endangered species.

No. 4. Seahorse rag-picker (lat. Phycodurus eques)

The rag-picker seahorse, or rag-picker, is a species of marine ray-finned fish from the needle family. The body length can reach 35 cm. A distinctive feature of the fish are numerous flat translucent processes that mimic the thallus of algae. These processes are needed to camouflage from enemies.

The rag-picker moves with the help of the pectoral and dorsal fins. These small fins are almost completely transparent, they sway very often (up to 10 times per second), providing a measured swaying of the fish on the waves, creating the illusion of floating algae. The maximum travel speed is up to 150 m/h.

It lives on the southeast and southwest coast of Australia in the waters of the Indian Ocean. They are usually found in shallow water at a depth of 4 to 30 m.

It feeds on plankton, mysids, and algae. Rag-pickers are under threat of extinction due to industrial emissions, as well as becoming specimens in the collections of recreational divers. Protected by the Australian government.

No. 3. Australian echidna (lat. Tachyglossus aculeatus)

The Australian echidna is a species of egg-laying mammals of the echidna family. The only representative of the genus Echidna.
The Australian echidna was first described in 1792 by the English zoologist George Shaw, who also gave the name to the species, mistakenly classifying it as an anteater. After 10 years, Edward Home discovered a similar feature in echidna and platypus - a cesspool, based on this discovery, a detachment of monotremes was singled out.

The Australian echidna is found in Australia, Tasmania, New Guinea and the islands in the Bass Strait.

Outwardly, the echidna is most similar to a hedgehog - its entire body is covered with hard coarse hairs, and its sides and back are studded with long, 5-6 cm each, yellow needles with black tips. In length, the Australian echidna grows up to 50 cm, while having a weight of up to 7 kg. The tail and auricles are so small that they are practically invisible.

The muzzle of the echidna is very elongated, up to 7.5 cm in length, and plays an extremely important role in the life of the animal, since its vision is poorly developed, and the environment is known mostly through smell and hearing. The mouth, which is a very small hole at the end of the muzzle, has no teeth, but it fits a sticky tongue that is 25 cm long. With the help of such a tool, the echidna obtains food for itself, consisting of termites, ants, worms and other than it looks like a giant anteater. Powerful front paws, equipped with claws, allow it to destroy the walls of termite mounds, after which the tongue comes into play.
Australian echidnas are nocturnal and very secretive.

Its main defense is thorns; a disturbed echidna rolls up into a ball, like a hedgehog, and if it has time, it partially burrows into the ground, exposing its back to the enemy with raised needles. It is very difficult to pull the echidna out of the dug hole, because it strongly rests on its paws and needles.
The Australian echidna is common in Australia and Tasmania and is not an endangered species. Echidnas do well in captivity, but do not breed. Only five zoos managed to get the offspring of the Australian echidna

No. 2. Yeti crab (lat. Kiwa hirsuta)

Kiwa hirsuta or "Yeti Crab" was first discovered in 2005 at a depth of 2228 m in the South Pacific Ocean 1500 kilometers from Easter Island.

An expedition led by Robert Vreyenhoek and Michel Segonzac, while diving aboard the Alvin manned submersible, observed these large white crayfish around active hydrothermal vents several times.

The 15 cm body of the cancer is covered with numerous feathery bristles that contain filamentous bacteria that purify water from compounds toxic to cancer, and also possibly serve as food for it.

No. 1. Drop Fish (lat. Psychrolutes marcidus)

The blobfish is one of the most bizarre deep-sea fish in the ocean and is endemic to Australia. It lives at a depth of 600 to 1200 meters off the coast of Australia.

The size of the drop fish is about 30 - 35 cm (up to 60). The body of the drop fish is jelly-like and watery, which is why it got its name. The fish does not have developed muscles, it swims with its mouth open, or sits in one place and swallows small invertebrates.
The species is poorly studied. Despite the unpresentable appearance, the inhabitants of Asian countries consider the meat of drop fish a delicacy.

It is endangered due to the expansion of deep-sea fisheries, as it is increasingly caught in nets along with crabs and lobsters.

The structure of the front of the head gives the impression that the fish constantly frowns and has an unhappy "facial expression", which is why the fish ranks first in the ratings of the strangest creatures. Because of its unusual appearance, the fish has become a popular character in Internet memes and is often included in lists of "the most bizarre creatures."

In fact, there are many more amazing and bizarre animals in the world, but it is impossible to put them all in one small rating.

Every hour, approximately 3 species die out, every day - more than 70, every year - more than 26 thousand.