Giant insects vs giant reptiles?

[ThrillingHuman]

Just an inconsequential discussion that has nothing to do with the future of Earth and the human species. Nothing but a casual question driven by curiosity.

 

[georgelee5786]

Reptiles

 

[Deleted member 84247]

It's a hard choice; both are neat. I will choose insects simply because I don't want to agree with Georgie

 

[Notadate]

Motherfucker, insects would obliterate us

 

[TheMonotonePuppet]

Just an inconsequential discussion that has nothing to do with the future of Earth and the human species. Nothing but a casual question driven by curiosity.

Giant insects are harder to relate to. They are so distant from humans that it is hard to see them as evil or good, just alien. Not to mention, if I wanted to die, giant insects are more likely to give me uniquely torturous deaths while giant reptiles, you've got claws, maws, and smashing damage. There are only so many permutations you've got, and not as evil as some of them are.

 

[Deleted member 146224]

Reptiles.

 

[Jemini]

I am a denizen of the web, therefore there is only one correct choice. The web reaches all corners of the world, it is sheer hubris that you would deny it.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

Definitely reptiles, insects are icky.

 

[Goodmann]

Reptiles. Tastier.

 

[Glitched]

Insects. I must support my brethren.

 

[Representing_Tromba]

dinosaur domination

 

[ElijahRyne]

Just an inconsequential discussion that has nothing to do with the future of Earth and the human species. Nothing but a casual question driven by curiosity.

I mean, hasn’t something similar already happened irl and in Godzilla?

 

[Nahrenne]

Just an inconsequential discussion that has nothing to do with the future of Earth and the human species. Nothing but a casual question driven by curiosity.

I'd prefer giant reptiles over giant insects for several reasons:
- There are too many insects that lay eggs in living things
- Insects are far more agile than reptiles for the most part
- Insects hatch from eggs a lot faster/sooner than reptiles
- Insects breed incredibly quickly
- Reptiles can be trained, to some degree
- Insects typically have a much larger diet range than reptiles which are usually devastating for humans
- Reptiles do not have as voracious of an appetite as most insects do

Reasons to counter that, to some degree:
- Reptiles would not be as nutritious as insects

'-'

X

 

[HelloHound]

giant bumblebees

 

[The_Bip_Boop2003]

If it's one of those scenarios where the rules of physics and biology are at varying geometry then reptiles it is.

Otherwise...

The mere thought of wolf-sized desert locusts swarming by the millions is quite unpleasant considering they won't have much of a problem going from herbivore to carnivore when there is nothing else to eat, be it themselves or people.

 

[MatchaChocolate69]

Insects need to be exterminated with fire. Let's burn them all ?

 

[Cortavar]

You did ask what we liked the most!

While giant reptiles are cool (dinosaurs and Godzilla, mate!), giant insects are terrifying (and don't get me started on giant arachnids) for multiple reasons: fast-breeding, nasty attacks, swarm behavior, strength-to-body-mass ratio and so on and so on...

But that's assuming you do away with the square-cube law: if the length of something three-dimensional goes up by x, the surface goes up by x² and the volume by x³. That's the basic reason giant insects don't exist: they would collapse under their own mass (function of volume so going up at cube) or not manage to pump blood (technically lymph) to their extremities and suffocate.

But there's fossils of giant dragonflies the size of a golden retriever big rat (30cm, or a foot long)! Yes, my friend, there are, and they're awesome. But they're also from a time period with a much higher oxygen content in the atmosphere, which meant a lot less effort to breathe. Bring one back from the dead today and it'll suffocate back to death quickly.

So, depending on the fantasy-ness of your universe, you can bring out the big creepy-crawlies, they won't creep much nor crawl for long!

Edit: overestimated Meganeura's and Meganeuropsis' sizes!

 

[Yamemai]

Uhh, both:

Spoiler: Some choice pages from a comic

Wayward Martian Graphics - Harbourmaster Archive

Wayward Martian Graphics - Harbourmaster Archive

Wayward Martian Graphics - Harbourmaster Archive

 

[J_Chemist]

We're all slated to become Crab anyways.

But Reptiles because dinosaurs, and giant Insects would be near impossible to deal with.

 

[Deleted member 84247]

dinosaur domination

giant bumblebees

Both very good arguments.