# Bug hierarchy, from strongest to weakest **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 12, 2013, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bug-hierarchy-from-strongest-to-weakest/663356 "2013-07-12T20:45:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ac05](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecb155/32.png) [@ac05](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ac05)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2013, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bug-hierarchy-from-strongest-to-weakest/663356/1 "2013-07-12T20:45:40Z")
I was watching Japanese Bug Fights yesterday, and it made me wonder: which bug can beat which? So I came up with a hierarchy. In the hierarchy, I used examples: scorpion (buthus occitanus), stag beetle (lucanus cervus), tarantula (brachypelma vagans), giant centipede (scolopendra gigantea), and praying mantis (mantis religiosa). Using those examples, I figured the hierarchy would be this way, from stronger to weakest: giant centipede\>stag beetle\>scorpion\>tarantula\>praying mantis. Is this hierarchy correct? ---
**Author:** ![DrCube](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a3d4f5/32.png) [@DrCube](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrCube)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2013, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bug-hierarchy-from-strongest-to-weakest/663356/2 "2013-07-12T21:50:00Z")
I think the only way to be sure is to stage an insectoid mixed martial arts tournament under controlled conditions, analyze the data, and submit the results to Nature for peer review and publication. Who wants to help write the grant proposal? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2013, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bug-hierarchy-from-strongest-to-weakest/663356/3 "2013-07-12T23:34:34Z")
> [@DrCube](#): > > I think the only way to be sure is to stage an insectoid mixed martial arts tournament under controlled conditions, analyze the data, and submit the results to Nature for peer review and publication. > > Who wants to help write the grant proposal? Grant proposal? Couldn’t we get the funding through Pay-Per-View? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2013, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bug-hierarchy-from-strongest-to-weakest/663356/4 "2013-07-13T01:17:38Z")
Float like a butterfly, sting like Muhammad Ali. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2013, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bug-hierarchy-from-strongest-to-weakest/663356/5 "2013-07-13T03:05:32Z")
Moving to General Questions from Great Debates. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2013, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bug-hierarchy-from-strongest-to-weakest/663356/6 "2013-07-13T04:28:05Z")
In the absence of any data on actual contests, I think a “who would win” thread like this is probably better suited to IMHO. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2013, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bug-hierarchy-from-strongest-to-weakest/663356/7 "2013-07-13T04:44:37Z")
What are considered bugs? Worms are often grouped in the ‘bug’ category, so does that include the 22 foot long South African earthworms? How about tadpoles, sometimes considered bugs, but less often than worms? Or lobsters? They are absolutely in the bug category. What about Bugs Bunny, does he count? If you don’t define these things in the OP you get kicked out of the snotty forums. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2013, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bug-hierarchy-from-strongest-to-weakest/663356/8 "2013-07-13T05:01:23Z")
What are the weights of the various contenders? And if you put them in a cage, will they automatically fight? ETA: …and how can we shimmy this thread into each of the remaining forums?? ---
**Author:** ![ac05](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecb155/32.png) [@ac05](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ac05)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2013, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bug-hierarchy-from-strongest-to-weakest/663356/9 "2013-07-13T05:07:30Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > What are considered bugs? Worms are often grouped in the ‘bug’ category, so does that include the 22 foot long South African earthworms? How about tadpoles, sometimes considered bugs, but less often than worms? Or lobsters? They are absolutely in the bug category. What about Bugs Bunny, does he count? If you don’t define these things in the OP you get kicked out of the snotty forums. Only the ones I listed in the first post on this thread. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2013, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bug-hierarchy-from-strongest-to-weakest/663356/10 "2013-07-13T06:37:28Z")
> [@ac05](#): > > … from stronger to weakest: giant centipede\>stag beetle\>scorpion\>tarantula\>praying mantis. Is this hierarchy correct? Perhaps you’ve over-rated scorpion. I once saw a small flimsy gecko lizard near my bedroom with a scorpion in its mouth. And [this girl who worked in a zoo near Pattaya](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3306/3477346367_9fc85b06bf_z.jpg) doesn’t seem too afraid of scorpions. (I recall a news story several years ago: Scorpion Girl married Centipede Boy!) [Here’s centipede defeating tarantula.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2f5gBFMMmGc) [Here’s tarantula defeating scorpion.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10zbXS8cQ4k). ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2013, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bug-hierarchy-from-strongest-to-weakest/663356/11 "2013-07-13T06:43:44Z")
ETA: And [here’s an impressive duel between centipede and scorpion](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XE-LMPHR_TY). Centipede wins. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2013, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bug-hierarchy-from-strongest-to-weakest/663356/12 "2013-07-13T19:08:25Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > Bats aren’t bugs! :mad: Look, who’s giving the report? **You** chowderheads…or **me**! BTW, OP, I’d say scorpion outranks stag beetle, because sting. Yes, lizards eat scorpions - but I’ve seen one kill a cat, too.