desert bugs - Top That! Publishing

Which insects have the biggest wings
Fossils of prehistoric dragonflies have been found with
wingspans of around 75 cm (30 in), but the insects
with the biggest wings alive today are certain
butterflies and moths. The Queen Alexandra birdwing
and the Atlas moth are really impressive (see
page 20), but the hercules moth from
Australia comes a close second,
with an enormous wingspan of
28 cm (11 in.)
The hercules moth
has an enormous
wingspan.
Can insects fly backwards
Some insects can. Dragonflies can hover like
helicopters, fly vertically, stop or suddenly change
direction in mid-flight, and also fly backwards. The
fastest flier was believed to be a giant prehistoric
dragonfly. It was so large that it had to fly as fast as
69 kph (43 mph) to stop it from crashing.
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Why do insects have thin wings
Most flying insects have two pairs of wings. They are
very thin and light so they don’t weigh the insect
down. Insects have to beat their wings very fast in
order to fly, so have to warm up their flight muscles
before they get moving. A beetle’s second pair of
wings has evolved into a hard protective casing when
the beetle isn’t flying.
Can insects travel long distances
Most insects don’t travel long distances, but those
that do often use the wind to help them on their
way. Some insects have special wings that can
help them glide over long distances, and one of
these is the African grasshopper. It has broad hind
wings, which are perfect for the job.
An African
grasshopper can
glide over long
distances.