Let’s be honest insects aren’t the first thing that comes to our mind to keep as pets. Insects are scary, stingy, and creepy but there are many Beautiful insects you can keep as pets as well.
Do you know that insects are the most abundant animals on Earth.? They comprise 75% of all animal species that scientists have named and described. You can find these creatures almost anywhere in the world.
Some of these creepy crawlers are may more beautiful than you can imagine. They make pretty interesting pets and companions.
Yes, they’re not going to comfort and snuggle you like other animals like dogs and cats. What they can provide is some sort of satisfaction and peace of mind when you look at them. They can also provide a sense of pride and ownership as a pet owner.
There are a staggering number of insect species kept as pets for their beauty and interesting behaviors. Lucky for us, not every insect species is creepy and unpleasant to look at.
Here are the top 10 beautiful insects you can keep as pets
10. Stick Insects
Remember “Pickett” from Fantastic Beasts?, Newt Scamander’s favorite critter. He used to carry it in his pocket and adored the stick insect. Some people prefer insects as pets because they are very handy.
But we are not talking about the imaginary insect we are here to talk about the real beautiful insect you can keep as a pet like the Spiny Stick Insect.
Unlike other species of stick insects, this spiny stick insect doesn’t look like a twig. Its body is bulky and covered in small spines used for camouflage and protection.
The spiny stick insect is usually a light brown color but occasionally can be green beige or dark brown. Stick insects can live up to 16 months.
Stick bugs vary in size with some being only a few inches long to a foot in length. These pet stick bugs are often very fragile and can only handle touch as long as you are very gentle.
9. Madagascan Sunset Moth
Originally when discovered the insect was thought to be a butterfly because of its stunning markings but it was later identified as a moth instead.
The bright colors and shape of their wings, causes them to frequently be mistaken for swallowtail butterflies.
Because of their markings, it is regarded as one of the most beautiful moths in existence. Thus making it very popular with those who want to keep beautiful insects as pets.
Adults have a wingspan of 7–11 cm. The sunset moth is black with iridescent red, blue, and green markings. The moth has six tails, however, some are often lost or damaged during its life.
Every time the moths move their wings, the colors and patterns shift, creating a kaleidoscope effect.
8. Flower Mantis
The Spiny Flower Mantis (Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii) is a small flower mantis species native to southern and eastern Africa.
The Spiny Flower Mantis and the Jeweled Flower Mantis are the two most beautiful mantis species in the world.
The spiny flower mantis looks like a beautiful piece of art crafted by mother nature. It is variable in color, being typically greenish, but it can equally be yellowish, pinkish, or reddish.
Its forewings feature a psychedelic spiral and when opened, they form two eyespots or smileys. The adult has spiny structures on the underside of its abdomen, giving it its name.
Its spines and flamboyant colors are meant to mimic the appearance of the African plants where it dwells.
The spiny flower mantis has an average lifespan of 6 months, though some can live up to a year with the proper care.
7. Luna Moth
The Luna Moth is among the largest moth species in North America. It is sometimes known as the American moon moth as it only flies at night.
The name luna means moon, a reference to the moon-like eyespots on its wings. It has lime-green-colored wings and a white body with long, curving tails trailing from their hindwings and light eyespots on each wing.
It is one of the most interesting and uniquely marked insects in the world. They have a wingspan of 3 to 4.5 inches.
The insect doesn’t have a mouth or a digestive system. That’s because it only lives for about a week after leaving the cocoon, and it doesn’t ever eat.
They only live for a week this is the only downside of keeping these insects as pets which is quite tragic.
6. Jewel Flutterer Dragonfly
The gorgeously stunning colored dragonfly is one of five species in its genus, Rhyothemis, all of which are “Flutterers” by flight style.
The genus Rhyothemis extends from Africa to the western Pacific, with five species known in Australia. The Jewel Flutterer is a small dragonfly with a wingspan of 40-60mm and a body length of around 25mm.
The species has blue metallic reflecting panels on both wing sets. When under sunlight, its whole body looks glistening blue-black and is a beautiful sight to behold.
5. Lichen Katydid
The Lichen katydid is a mimetic insect found in Central and South America. The Lichen Katydid or Markia hystrix is a recently discovered new genus of the katydid.
Just like all other katydids, it is a master of camouflage. The mimetic insect Lichen katydid exhibits an exceptional mimicry that looks like a lichen.
It resembles the pale greenish-white lichens on which it lives in rainforest treetops. The body of the elaborately colored lichen katydid is varying shades of green and is covered with spiky, thorn-like protrusions or extensions.
4. Glasswing Butterfly
Glasswing butterflies are named after their beautiful, transparent see-through wings. It’s a rare feature among the family of butterflies. These exotic butterflies are mostly found in warm or humid forests of Central America as far south as Chile, with appearances as north as Mexico and Texas.
The wingspan of glasswinged butterflies can reach 5.5 to 6 cm. The borders of their wings have a dark brown color with a hue of red or orange.
Their transparency is a form of camouflage that they use to hide in plain sight. Their average lifespan is about 6 to 12 weeks.
3. Venezuelan poodle moth
The Venezuelan poodle moth mystified researchers and baffled the internet when pictures of it went viral soon after its discovery in 2009.
It was discovered in 2009 by zoologist Dr. Arthur Anker. Once the Venezuelan poodle moth was discovered or spotted, Dr. Arthur Anker took a photograph of this new species.
At a glance, the insect looks like a combination of a large moth and a bright fluffy white poodle causing many to claim that the images had to be photoshopped.
The Venezuelan poodle moth screams cuteness at first sight and it’s not photoshopped the creature actually looks that cute.
Since the moth was put in the spotlight it has been a much sought-after pet for collectors looking for something cute, rare, and beautiful insect to keep as a pet.
2. Fireflies
Fireflies may not look pretty during the daytime but when the sun sets the magical beauty of fireflies comes into view. With the sun setting, these insects put on quite the mesmerizing light show thanks to their bioluminescent abdomens.
Very few know that these insects are beetles! The Fireflies (Lampyridae) are a family of insects in the beetle order Coleoptera.
Found in warm, wet environments, they’re slow-moving and harmless to humans, making them fun to keep as pets. They can light up your room or garden and can have a calming effect.
1. Octauius Swordtail Butterfly
The octauius swordtail (Chorinea octauius) or red-tailed clear mark is a species of butterfly of the family Riodinidae found in South America.
Octauius swordtail is a species of butterfly of the family Riodinidae. It is also found in Colombia, Venezuela, Surinam, Ecuador, Brazil, and Peru.
Just like the Glasswing butterfly it also has transparent wings but it’s more beautiful than the glasswing. It is the most beautiful butterfly on the planet.
Most people who see the butterfly for the time believe it is fake and no way it can be real in any sense. But it is real.
Unfortunately, there is currently very little information available about this species of butterfly despite its stunning appearance.