Posted 4-3-00

Your question about insect strength is really tough! Insect strength depends a lot on its mass and body structure, according to Peter Touhey... at ARS' Systematic Entomology Lab in Beltsville, Md. He isn't sure if there's ever been a formal, or detailed study on the matter. But he noted that ants are among the strongest. In fact, they're capable of carrying 50 times their own weight, according to information from the National Museum of Natural History's Entomology Department in Washington, DC.

The website offers a lot of other interesting bug facts--like the fact that bees can fly 60 miles in one day! You can check the website out by clicking on the museum's name, given above.

-- Sci4Kids Staff, Peter Touhey, support scientist, USDA-ARS SEL, Beltsville, Md.

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