Which Insect Reigns as Longest-Living?

Q: What insect has the longest life span?

A:The rust-colored wooly bear caterpillar of Ellesmere Island (almost on the North Pole) lives for 14 years. A clear winner? She freezes solid the 11 winter months of the year, thaws to eat for a month, and survives cold down to -95° F (-71° C). Impressive, certainly, but not the winner.

Queen ants live the longest, up to 28 years in captivity. They live as long as their colonies do.

Further Surfing:

Carleton University: Natural freezing survival in animals

University of Florida: Book of insect records, chapter 34

(Answered Oct. 18, 2002; updated Nov. 20, 2007)