Moths are commonly associated with the night, but one particular family, the Nepticulidae, houses the smallest moths known as pygmy or midget moths.
Midget Moths
The scarlet dwarf dragonfly, a minuscule species belonging to the Odanata family, measures less than half an inch in wingspan and .66 inches (17mm) in body length.
Scarlet Dwarf Dragonfly
With a wingspan as small as half an inch, the western pygmy blue butterfly belongs to the Lepidopterous insect order.
Western Pygmy Blue Butterfly
Microtityus Minimus Scorpion
The Microtityus minimus scorpion claims the title of the world's smallest scorpion, measuring a mere .43 inches (11 millimeters) when fully grown. Despite its miniature size, this scorpion proves to be a feisty creature!
The Bolbe pygmaea mantis, native to Australia, is one of the smallest mantis species, measuring only 1 centimeter (0.39 inch) in length.
Bolbe Pygmaea Mantis
Mosquitoes are infamous for their itchy bites, but the Uranotaenia lowii mosquito, also known as the light-footed Uranotaenia, is the tiniest mosquito on Earth, measuring .09 inches (2.5 millimeters) long.
Eranotaenia Iowii Mosquito
The patu digua spider, one of the smallest spiders in the world, hails from Colombia and is nearly invisible to the naked eye, measuring less than 1/3rd of a millimeter (.01 inch).
Patu Digua Spider
Euryplatea nanaknihali, measuring 0.01 inches (0.5mm) or less, claims the title of the world's tiniest fly species.
Euryplatea Nanaknihali Fly
Scydosella Musawasensis, a species of beetle, is one of the smallest insects globally, measuring an average of 0.01 inch.
Scydosella Musawasensis Beetle
The Dicopomorpha echmepterygis, a type of fairyfly wasp, is a mind-boggling 0.0005 inches (.139 millimeters) in length, making it the smallest insect known to humans.