Which Superhero Would Bugs Be?

The superhero-like qualities of bugs, insects, and arachnids are amazing. Speed, strength, and jumping are few that, when put in human terms, are mindboggling, so much so that comic books and movies pay tribute to them in their stars. In the #2 grossing movie of all-time, Avengers: Endgame, we saw the likes of Spiderman, Black Widow, Mantis, and Ant Man and the Wasp battle Thanos.

In the insect version of the superhero world, which bugs can grab the lead roles?

Captain America

The first choice here goes to the Stink Bug. It may seem like an odd choice, but the odorous pest is a walking shield. Add in the similarities between Captain’s seventy years asleep in ice and, diapause, a state of hibernation where the bug’s development is suspended. The second choice here would have to go to Army Ants. Imagine the biggest of the colony taking the troops on enemy raids of up to 20,000,000 strong.

The Hulk

Regarded as one of the strongest superheroes, no auditions for this part are necessary. When it comes to sheer brute strength, the role goes to the Horned Dung Beetle. This brute can pull an estimated 1141 times its weight. This compares to a human lifting a pair of loaded 18-wheelers. Scientists believe their strength is a factor in who gets the mate, which is decided in pushing matchups. Even the role of the understudy is an easy choice. The Rhinoceros Beetle is a more imposing figure than the Dung, with some species up to 6 inches. While only 2/3rds as strong as the Dung, that still translates into 850 times their weight in lifting power. With this power, man would shatter the Olympic record with a lift of over 165,000 lbs.

Johnny Flame (The Human Torch)

With the command “flame on,” our human hero turns into a ball of fire. He can use his power to control nearby flames and battle against supervillains. The top choice here goes to the Bombardier Beetle. Our insect star releases a toxic solution with an impressive temperature close to 212° F when threatened. The weapon is stored internally without damaging our hero and in enough quantity to spray 20 times.

Magneto

While our human entrant flip flops between hero and villain, his superpower is no less amazing. He can generate magnetic fields, control electricity, and is constantly aware of the Earth’s magnetic field. For this role, there is only one choice, the Honeybee. When this bee is flying, it collides with charged particles that cause them to become positively charged. When it returns to the hive and when it does the waggle dance, it can emit up to 450 volts and move others without touching them. Iron granules in their abdomen allow them to continually detect Earth’s magnetic field.

Wolverine

Perhaps the most striking power exhibited by our favorite of the X Men is Wolverine’s ability to heal himself. On the screen, we’ve seen knife wounds disappear and bullets expelled. The only difficulty in choosing his bug counterpart is deciding which of the millions of roaches is the best one. The American Cockroach can regenerate injured limbs. Even more impressive is the nine antibiotic substances scientists found in roach brains. In a lab atmosphere at Britain’s University of Nottingham, the cockroach antibiotic cocktail killed off E. coli and 90% of the MRSA virus.

Iron Man

What list of superheroes could be complete without the leader of the Avengers, Iron Man. The rock-solid bug stars here are the Iron Clad Beetle. The structures that connect pieces of their exoskeleton can absorb an impact over 39,000 times its body weight. They can survive being run over by a car and is the human equivalent of withstanding the weight of 40 army tanks. Enemies find this defense nearly impenetrable.

Daredevil

Maybe one of the most unassuming looking of the superheroes is Daredevil. He is not big, doesn’t fly, and is blind. Doesn’t sound much like a superhero. What he does have is the ability to use echolocation to pick up the slightest movements to avoid enemy attacks and deliver punishing blows himself. Entering stage one is the Tiger Moth. To combat the kings of echolocation trying to eat them, bats, our hero fights fire with fire. The moths can jam the bat’s sonar ability to track them by sending out their own signal.

In Charlotte, North Carolina, we have superheroes of our own, At Ease Pest Solutions. We’ve been winning the battle against local pests and helping home, and business owners remain pest-free for many years. We won’t show up with a cape on, but rest assured, we have the tools and skills to win the war on bugs. Call us today for an estimate.

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