The other day, my brother asked me what the largest beetle in the world was (I believe it was a question in a game he was playing) and I immediately thought of three beetles – the Titan Beetle, the Hercules Beetle and of course today’s featured animal, the Goliath Beetle. In theory, any one of these answers would have been correct, however, according to their game, the right answer was the Goliath Beetle. Soon, you will learn why this beetle was considered the largest even though the other two are usually longer (the Titan Beetle and the Hercules Beetle can reach lengths up to 6″…..that is half a foot!!).

The Victorious Goliath Beetle

So if the Goliath Beetle only reaches a length of 4.3 inches, why were they considered the right answer in the game my brother was playing? Simply because there is more to being the largest beetle in the world then just length. For instance, when you add in their bulk and weight to the equation, the Goliath Beetle become the largest beetle in the world. In the larval stage, this particular beetle can weigh up to an amazing 100 grams (3.5 oz), which is incredibly heavy for an insect. However, in the adult stage, their weight is about half that size. Hmmm…it isn’t often that the young kids are larger than the parents.

Where Can I Find the Goliath Beetle?

If you want to witness this amazing insect for yourself, you will have to get your travel agent on the phone since you will be heading on a nice relaxing trip to Africa. Yes, the Goliath Beetle is typically found hanging out in the tropical forests scattered throughout the African continent. Okay, so maybe they aren’t just hanging out as they are probably intimidating humans everywhere. When they aren’t shocking people with their size, the Goliath Beetle will be on the lookout for tasty tree sap or even tastier fruit. I think we should all thank our lucky stars that this beetle doesn’t have a taste for meat, since an insect of this size would be able to do quite a bit of damage as you unsuspectingly wandered through the African forest.