The stuff of nightmares! New species of insect discovered in China - and it has a wingspan of more than EIGHT INCHES Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2704111/The-stuff-nightmares-New-species-insect-discovered-China-wingspan-EIGHT-INCHES.

According to Scientific American members of the Megaloptera family are not well known.

When they are larvae they spend a lot of time out of sight in the water, only leaving when they pupate and they become adults.

They can be found in or near a variety of wet environments including ponds, lakes and swamps.

The huge mandibles at the front of the insect, meanwhile, are not used for eating but rather to attract females and hold them in place during mating.

The species is also known for its ferocious bite, which can break human skin.

Megaloptera insects typically live for only a few days as adults, so many will spend there few days of adulthood mating, producing new larvae to grow underwater.

With a wingspan 8.3 inches (21 centimetres), this species breaks the previous record holder for largest aquatic insect, the South American helicopter damselfly, which has a wingspan of 7.5 inches (19 centimetres).read more