A scientist from the University of London has crowned the
world's strongest insect after an experiment using some string,
glue and a yoghurt pot. Dr Rob Knell and the paper's co-writer
Professor Leigh Simmons from the University of Western Australia
found that Onthophagus Taurus dung beetles could pull 1,141
times their own bodyweight as part of the study that
investigated the beetle's walking speed, horn length and testes
mass as well as their strength. To determine the beetles'
strength, Knell used glass tubes lined with sandpaper to mimic
the tunnels dug by female dung beetles beneath dung pats. In
their natural habitat, the male dung beetles guard these tunnels
to prevent rival males from mating with the female inside,
fighting off any would-be suitors using their large horns and
immense strength. Continue reading