# What's the ugliest insect? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 4, 2012, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ugliest-insect/624078 "2012-06-04T20:53:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2012, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ugliest-insect/624078/1 "2012-06-04T20:53:36Z")
[My vote for the ugliest insect goes to the adult female Dobsonfly](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dobsonfly), seen in all its glory [in this somewhat nightmare-inducing picture.](http://i.imgur.com/rozMY.jpg) Does anyone have worse? ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2012, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ugliest-insect/624078/2 "2012-06-04T21:11:47Z")
Perhaps not ugliest, but it certainly frightens me from the sheer size of it. [Giant Crickets.](http://www.myconfinedspace.com/2011/12/15/giant-cricket/) ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2012, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ugliest-insect/624078/3 "2012-06-04T21:32:10Z")
I’ve personally caught a female Dobson fly noted in the OP. While they are fierce-looking, they also tend to be slow and don’t seem all that threatening. They sure can bite, though. ---
**Author:** ![pohjonen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pohjonen/32/423_2.png) [@pohjonen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pohjonen)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2012, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ugliest-insect/624078/4 "2012-06-04T22:53:15Z")
[Potato bugs.](http://www.potatobugs.com/) I can’t define exactly why, but they really gross me out. ---
**Author:** ![Shark\_Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Shark\_Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shark_Sandwich)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2012, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ugliest-insect/624078/5 "2012-06-04T23:41:37Z")
[Antlions](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JXRyaDNoOCs/Tmq3w0-qCSI/AAAAAAAAAX4/cW1X4ZEXUAQ/s1600/antlion-2.jpg) aren’t pretty, but they sure are cool. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2012, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ugliest-insect/624078/6 "2012-06-04T23:51:41Z")
I am SO not opening this thread. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ugliest-insect/624078/7 "2012-06-05T00:34:16Z")
Here are some others- I think most in that list are quite cool vs being ugly [Top 10 World’s Scariest/Ugliest Insects](http://weirdworldstuff.blogspot.com/2007/09/top-10-worlds-scariestugliest-insects.html) [Female scale insects](http://www.flickr.com/photos/itchydogimages/6789671227/)score high on my freaky meter ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ugliest-insect/624078/8 "2012-06-05T00:36:43Z")
The common housefly does just fine if magnified to horrific enough size. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_I\_Am](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@Sam\_I\_Am](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_I_Am)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ugliest-insect/624078/9 "2012-06-05T00:59:07Z")
Ugliest to me is the earwig. Probably because when I see one I can’t help but imagine the sensation of one crawling in the ear. Shudder. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ugliest-insect/624078/10 "2012-06-05T01:45:51Z")
Giant waterbug? I am NOT googling since I have seen one and they are UGLY ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ugliest-insect/624078/11 "2012-06-05T02:26:00Z")
Dragonfly nymphs are pretty creepy looking, especially their [extendable jaw](http://dragonflywoman.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/dragon-mouthparts-side-view1.jpg?w=800). ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ugliest-insect/624078/12 "2012-06-05T02:38:09Z")
I’d like to say Dick Cheney, but I’m waiting for the post mortem dissection to confirm Phylum. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ugliest-insect/624078/13 "2012-06-05T02:49:54Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > [in this somewhat nightmare-inducing picture.](http://i.imgur.com/rozMY.jpg) Why did I click on that link? ---
**Author:** ![sangfroid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e0b2c6/32.png) [@sangfroid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sangfroid)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ugliest-insect/624078/14 "2012-06-05T03:15:11Z")
**Derleth** , may I present the [hellgrammite](http://www.google.com/imgres?q=hellgrammite&start=206&hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&sa=X&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1333&bih=591&addh=36&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=ebcEOYvA9E8DAM:&imgrefurl=http://www.bronies.de/printthread.php%3Ftid%3D2526%26page%3D4&docid=ZP2ZuuHWuemkeM&imgurl=http://www.two-bits.com/misc/hellgrammite.JPG&w=1368&h=722&ei=F3bNT-PgJvKf6QHtw_ytAg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=741&vpy=290&dur=8929&hovh=163&hovw=309&tx=153&ty=90&sig=104179651870329446408&page=9&tbnh=92&tbnw=175&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:4,s:206,i:70), a delightful critter we found under rocks on the banks of the Lamoille river in northern Vermont while swimming with the kids. Interestingly, it’s the larval form of the dobsonfly, and worse, if possible. Big. Creepy. Fast. Giant pincers. Fishermen love them, apparently. Two guys came by on their lunch break to flip over rocks and scoop them into a plastic container for later use as bait. Said the bass really go for them. ---
**Author:** ![sangfroid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e0b2c6/32.png) [@sangfroid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sangfroid)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ugliest-insect/624078/15 "2012-06-05T03:18:53Z")
eta Side note: I have absolutely NO idea why “My Little Bronies” are in the background of that google searched pic… ---
**Author:** ![emcee2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emcee2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emcee2k)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ugliest-insect/624078/16 "2012-06-05T03:23:12Z")
Call me old fashioned, but for grotesque insects, you still can’t beat a German cockroach, complete with eggsack, rolled over on its back, kicking its legs. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ugliest-insect/624078/17 "2012-06-05T04:57:37Z")
> [@pohjonen](#): > > [Potato bugs.](http://www.potatobugs.com/) I can’t define exactly why, but they really gross me out. That’s my vote, too. Tarantula Hawks are scary looking. Not “ugly,” but scary. Like the alien from Alien. Mean-lookin’. Don’t want to meet one in a first-contact scenario. ---
**Author:** ![Incubus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@Incubus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incubus)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ugliest-insect/624078/18 "2012-06-05T06:04:17Z")
Not an insect, but snails. Ugh, this slimy tentacle monster oozing its way out of its shell. I find them repulsive. I’d kill them with impunity, but squishing them just grosses me out even more. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2012, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ugliest-insect/624078/19 "2012-06-05T06:07:53Z")
I believe this gem, **The Jungle Nymph** , was the model for the first \*\*Men in Black \*\*bug [![](http://www.thereptilian.co.uk/images/inverts/jungle_nymph_heteropteryx_dilatata_large.jpg) ](http://www.thereptilian.co.uk/images/inverts/jungle_nymph_heteropteryx_dilatata_large.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2012, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ugliest-insect/624078/20 "2012-06-06T17:01:10Z")
As long as they’re not where I don’t want them to be I find insects to be rather fascinating to look at, and even beautiful. They are engineering marvels to me. When they show up unexpected my response is more “eek” than “ooh pretty.” Of what’s been linked here I’d run screaming from the potato bug, the earwig (same as **Sam I Am**. If it was called a corn wig I might be able to relax.) and the larval hellgrammite thing in **sangfroid** ’s link. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-ugliest-insect/624078.md?page=2)