Tough Bugs: What Makes Bugs so Resilient?

While hundreds of creatures in the insect world could be categorized as tough bugs, there are four that stand out as the toughest bugs in the animal kingdom. Here’s a look at HomeTeam’s list of four tough bugs. Thankfully, we don’t have to worry about most of them when considering pest control for the home.

German Roach

The German cockroach can thrive almost all over the world, except in very cold climates. They make the top list of tough bugs for two reasons. First, they are difficult to exterminate. This is because of the many nymphs produced from a single egg case, the short time span between birth and maturity, and their ability to hide incredibly well. Females also carry their egg cases around with them to prevent susceptibility to humans.

Second, German roaches are highly impervious to radiation. Humans can’t survive exposure to just 800 rems, but it takes a dose of 90,000 to 105,000 rems before you’ll see a German roach on its back.

Hercules Beetle

This is one of the largest and most famous rhinoceros beetle, which lives in Central and South America as well as the Lesser Antilles. You aren’t likely to need pest management services to get rid of a Hercules beetle infestation in your home, but these are tough bugs that you certainly don’t want to cross! The males feature “horns” that can grow longer than their bodies. These are primarily used to pick fights with other males for the right to mate with a female.

The name “Hercules” is appropriate for these beetles, since they are said to be the strongest creature alive for its size. A single beetle can carry 850 times its own body weight. That’s like a 180-pound man carrying 10 elephants on his back!

Red Velvet Ant

Also known as “cow killer ants,” female red velvet ants are actually wingless wasps. They live in the eastern and southern United States and deliver incredibly painful stings. The males, on the other hand, have dark, transparent wings and don’t deliver a sting. These tough bugs are very hard to exterminate, even if you stomp on them!

Locust

There are several species of grasshopper that are considered locusts. These bugs are most well-known for their massive swarming and catastrophic damage to crops. Pest management services need to use extreme care around crops for fear of damaging the food supply, which is the reason locusts are on the list of the toughest bugs in the world.

For more information about ridding tough bugs from your home, please visit our website, pestdefense.com, or call one of our professionals at 855-855-4873. We also invite you to join us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube for additional tips and ideas for pest control for