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Number of insects in the world
Here is the number of insects on the planet:
Termites, among insects of visible size are the most numerous. With more than 2,600 species, they are 2,000 times more numerous than the ants, which is amazing since we mostly see ants in the wild and not so many termites. They have been in the form of castes for over 100 million years, with workers, soldiers, nymphs, neotenics, winged adults, and the royal couple. A queen lives ten years with her king and can lay up to 130 million eggs during her life! With an egg every two seconds. A colony contains about 10 million individuals, winged adults will quickly get out to conquer a new territory, find a companion and create their own colony.
Among the microscopic insects, we have the mites that would have according to the scientists at least 1 million species, of which only 50,000 are indexed. Most live in soil or water. A mite lives between 2 and 3 months, it can lay 900 eggs during this time. This can give up to 100 billion descendants over 1 year from a single female.
Mosquitoes, on the other hand, will lay 200 eggs after each meal of blood. A female will thus lay about 3,000 eggs during a period of one month, the duration of her life. An egg can remain viable for 10 years. Only the females bite, while the males live from vegetable juices, sugar or nectar of flowers.
Ants have 14,000 species, but we suppose that there are more than 40,000 ants species in the nature. A queen can live up to 28 years for black ants and 15 years for red ants. This is also why we should not destroy a nest that has often been there for longer than humans. The wood ant has 6,000-7,000 individuals per nest. Some species may have a nest that extends over 100 square meters and mobilizes more than 40 tons of soil. Others are less numerous per nest but may have more than 11,000 nests per hectare. A queen can lay up to 150 million eggs in her life. A nest can reach up to 8 million individuals.
The fly lives only ten days, during which it will generate between 500 and 1 000 eggs, in 5 times with 100-200 eggs each time. The larva will take 7 days to get out of its egg, then between 10 and 30 days to reach the adult stage.
The locusts can evolve into clouds per hundred million. They live during an average of two months. At laying the female releases 40 eggs. The larvae emerge from the eggs after 20 days. Then the larva takes between 18 days and 8 months to reach the adult stage according to the environmental conditions. The locusts can eat grass, wheat, fruit, and corn. Due to their large size of 2-3 inches in length, they could quickly become a delicacy of choice in the future with a high protein intake; according to FAO, a dry locust represents 62% protein and 17% fat, as well as many minerals including calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, copper. They are often eaten roasted or fried. It can also be made into powder or flour.
There is a total of 48 quintillion (billion of billion) of insects on Earth.
| Number of insects in the world | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Animal | Type | Population | Year | Source |
| Mites | Insect | 4,8 x 10^19 | 2017 | W3Ask estimation |
| Termites | Insect | 2,1 x 10^17 | 2011 | NPR |
| Clover mites | Insect | 1 x 10^17 | 2017 | W3Ask estimation |
| Mosquitoes | Insect | 7 x 10^16 | 2017 | W3Ask estimation |
| Flies | Insect | 1,7 x 10^16 | 2017 | W3Ask estimation |
| Grasshopers | Insect | 1,25 x 10^16 | 2017 | W3Ask estimation |
| Pillbugs | Insect | 3 x 10^15 | 2017 | W3Ask estimation |
| Dust mites | Insect | 2,5 x 10^15 | 2012 | National Geographic |
| Aphids | Insect | 1 x 10^15 | 2017 | W3Ask estimation |
| Hemipteras | Insect | 5 x 10^14 | 2017 | W3Ask estimation |
| Beetles | Insect | 3,5 x 10^14 | 2017 | W3Ask estimation |
| Milipedes | Insect | 3 x 10^14 | 2017 | W3Ask estimation |
| Fleas | Insect | 2,5 x 10^14 | 2017 | W3Ask estimation |
| Ants | Insect | 1 x 10^14 | 2014 | BBC News |
| Ticks | Insect | 1 x 10^14 | 2017 | W3Ask estimation |
| Face mites | Insect | 6,5 x 10^13 | 2017 | W3Ask estimation |
| Lices | Insect | 5 x 10^13 | 2017 | W3Ask estimation |
| Bees | Insect | 5 x 10^13 | 2011 | FAO |
| Caterpillars | Insect | 5 x 10^13 | 2017 | W3Ask estimation |
| Cockroaches | Insect | 4,4 x 10^13 | 2017 | W3Ask estimation |
| Wasps | Insect | 1,7 x 10^13 | 2017 | W3Ask estimation |
| Sowbugs | Insect | 1 x 10^13 | 2017 | W3Ask estimation |
| Lovebugs | Insect | 1 x 10^13 | 2017 | W3Ask estimation |
| Spiders | Insect | 9,7 x 10^12 | 2017 | The Washington Post |
| Mealybugs | Insect | 5 x 10^12 | 2017 | W3Ask estimation |
| Bumblebees | Insect | 2,5 x 10^12 | 2017 | W3Ask estimation |
| Moths | Insect | 1,6 x 10^12 | 2017 | W3Ask estimation |
| Crickets | Insect | 1,25 x 10^12 | 2017 | W3Ask estimation |
| Butterflies | Insect | 1 x 10^12 | 1986 | James A. Scott |
| Ladybugs | Insect | 1 x 10^12 | 2017 | W3Ask estimation |
| Silverfishes | Insect | 1 x 10^12 | 2017 | W3Ask estimation |
| Centipedes | Insect | 5 x 10^11 | 2017 | W3Ask estimation |
| Bedbugs | Insect | 3 x 10^11 | 2017 | W3Ask estimation |
| Hornets | Insect | 2 x 10^11 | 2017 | W3Ask estimation |
| Earwigs | Insect | 2 x 10^11 | 2017 | W3Ask estimation |
| Fireflies | Insect | 1,8 x 10^11 | 2017 | W3Ask estimation |
| Dragonflies | Insect | 1 x 10^11 | 2017 | W3Ask estimation |
| Mantises | Insect | 24,000,000,000 | 2017 | W3Ask estimation |
| Cicadas | Insect | 10,000,000,000 | 2017 | W3Ask estimation |
| Scorpions | Insect | 5,000,000,000 | 2017 | W3Ask estimation |
| Stick insects | Insect | 1,000,000,000 | 2017 | W3Ask estimation |
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