# Entymology question - Which insects live the longest? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 18, 2003, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entymology-question-which-insects-live-the-longest/149399 "2003-01-18T03:38:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Candlemas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a8b319/32.png) [@Candlemas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candlemas)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entymology-question-which-insects-live-the-longest/149399/1 "2003-01-18T03:38:09Z")
Which insects have the longest life spans under ideal conditions? Do any lives for years and years? ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entymology-question-which-insects-live-the-longest/149399/2 "2003-01-18T03:41:48Z")
Here’s a possible contender: > [@](#): > > …the Guinness Book of Records 1990 gets the prize for reporting the longest-lived insect: > > The longest-lived insects are the Splendour Beetles (Buprestidae). On 27 May 1982 a Buprestis aurulenta appeared from the staircase timber in the home of Mr W. Euston of Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex after 47 years as a larva. (pg 41) From [this site.](http://bugs1.netfirms.com/bugs/BUGQuiz/answers/longlife_answer.shtml) ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entymology-question-which-insects-live-the-longest/149399/3 "2003-01-18T03:45:35Z")
Additional: from the Smithsonian’s [BugInfo site,](http://www.si.edu/resource/faq/nmnh/buginfo/incredbugs.htm) they list queen termites as living up to 50 years. ---
**Author:** ![raygirvan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ac91a4/32.png) [@raygirvan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raygirvan)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entymology-question-which-insects-live-the-longest/149399/4 "2003-01-18T03:48:26Z")
[www.triviaplanet.com](http://www.triviaplanet.com) confirms Ice Wolf’s answer. According to [this entry](http://www.triviaplanet.com/did%20u%20wonder/plants%20and%20animals/Which%20insects%20have%20the%20longest%20lifespan.html), other long-lived insects are some cicadas (17 years) and queen termites (15 years). ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entymology-question-which-insects-live-the-longest/149399/5 "2003-01-18T03:56:13Z")
My 12th grade English teacher. ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entymology-question-which-insects-live-the-longest/149399/6 "2003-01-18T06:05:50Z")
It might depend on what you mean by ‘live’. IIRC some of the collembolans routinely go into a state of torpor when they dehydrate. They can last indefinitely like that. Not sure if that counts as living though. ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entymology-question-which-insects-live-the-longest/149399/7 "2003-01-18T06:11:59Z")
Yep, IIRC. Collembolans go into a state of supended animation when subject to dehydration or cold stress. In that state metabolism shuts down completelyas far as can be determined. They can last essentially forever. So I suppose that’s the probable winner at a stretch. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entymology-question-which-insects-live-the-longest/149399/8 "2003-01-18T06:17:48Z")
Wouldn’t it depend on whether the Class Parainsecta (including collembolans) is included in this? I understand they aren’t “true insects”. [Collembolans, or “Springtails”.](http://www.abdn.ac.uk/rhynie/collembolan.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2003, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/entymology-question-which-insects-live-the-longest/149399/9 "2003-01-18T06:31:43Z")
Well there you go. They use’ta be insects. Looks like the taxonomists got bored again. Ah to hell with it. They got six legs and antennae, they’re insects to me.