Top 10 most painful insect bites in the world

Insect bites are often extremely painful. When attacking prey, some insects will secrete pheromones to summon their companions, making the victim's experience even worse. So, which insect bite do you think is the most painful? 

Today, let's introduce the world's ten most painful insect bites, including bullet ants, executioner bees, warrior wasps, desert spider wasps, hornets, ant wasps, Maricopa ants, etc. Let's take a deeper look at these terrible insects.

1. Bullet ants (Smith's bite pain index: 5 stars)

In the list of insects that sting the most painfully, bullet ants are undoubtedly on the list. In order to study the feelings of various insect bites, the famous American entomologist Justin personally experienced the stings of more than 150 insects. According to the "Smit Pain Index" he compiled, the pain of the bullet ant's bite was rated first, which is described as walking on burning charcoal or being pierced by a 3-inch rusty nail in the heel. 

This pain exceeds that of any other insect. Moreover, this intense pain may last for a full 24 hours. In South America, young people in some Amazon tribes will even deliberately let bullet ants bite as a rite of passage to show their courage and perseverance.

2. Executioner bee (Smit Bite Pain Index: 4 stars)

The executioner bee is also one of the most painful insects. It is known for its sting and strong venom and is considered one of the most dangerous and aggressive wasp species. Its name comes from the behavior of the executioner bee attacking other insects (such as bees and other wasps), and chasing humans when threatened. The sting of the executioner bee is notorious for its pain, usually accompanied by severe burning, swelling and redness. 

The pain may last for hours or even days, depending on the severity of the sting. In rare cases, the venom may cause anaphylactic shock, which can be life-threatening if not treated promptly.

3. Warrior wasp (Smith's sting pain index: 4 stars)

The warrior wasp, also known as the samurai wasp, was rated 4 by Professor Smidt on the pain index. This species originated from Sulawesi, Indonesia, and is characterized by a particularly large mandible that can completely cover the face when retracted, resembling a Japanese ninja. When the mandible is extended, it is longer than the front legs and can reach a body length of 6.3 cm. 

As one of the most painful insects, Professor Smidt described the pain as "like a volcanic eruption, trapped under a tree, and magma slowly burning the whole body", and the pain lasts for two hours.

4. Desert spider wasp (Smith's sting pain index: 4 stars)

Among the insects with the most painful stings, the desert spider wasp is also a prestigious one. It is the largest wasp in the world, extremely ferocious, likes to live alone, and can even use the toxins on its antennae to paralyze wolf spiders that are larger than itself. Although the desert spider wasp generally does not actively attack humans, once bitten, the victim will feel severe pain, with a pain index of 4. 

Professor Smith described this pain as the electric shock caused by a hair dryer falling into the water while taking a bath in a bathtub. Because the desert spider wasp's sting is extremely powerful, it has almost no natural enemies, and one of its only predators is the roadrunner.

5. Hornet (Smidt's sting pain index: 3 stars)

Wasps are insects known for their painful stings, especially hornets, which are named hornets because of their huge heads like tigers and their ferocity. They have obvious tiger stripes on their bodies. They have two main attack weapons: the first is the stinger at the end of the abdomen, which is their most powerful weapon. This stinger is connected to the venom gland in the body and can inject toxins into the body after stinging the target. 

Although the amount of toxins is not large, victims often experience symptoms such as stinging, redness and swelling, especially those who are allergic to insect toxins or have poor resistance, which may cause severe reactions or even shock. The editor recommends that you try to avoid angering hornets when you are outdoors, avoid wearing bright clothes and perfume, and it is best to choose long sleeves, long pants and hats to protect yourself.

6. Ant-bee (Smit's sting pain index: 3 stars)

Ant-bees, also known as velvet ants, are one of the most painful insects to bite, especially females, which are very aggressive. Ant-bees will sting when they feel threatened or disturbed, and the pain of their bites is unbearable, and in some cases, it can even cause the death of other animals. 

In North America, many people call them "cow killers" because their bites can be fatal. The sting of the ant-bee is as long as the entire abdomen, which can penetrate deep into the skin, and the pain you experience will last for at least half an hour.

7. Maricopa ant (Smit's sting pain index: 3 stars)

The Maricopa ant is a poisonous ant that lives in the American desert and is often mistaken for a common red ant. However, don't be deceived by its appearance, this ant is more deadly than ordinary red ants. The pain of being stung is very intense, but the pain is not the most terrible. 

Their LD50 (lethal dose) is only 0.12 mg/kg, which means that a creature weighing 1 kg only needs 0.12 mg of venom to be fatal. Usually only 12 stings can knock down a 2 kg animal. Compared with all known bees, wasps and other ants, the venom of Maricopa ants is more potent.

8. Red Bulldog Ant (Smith's Bite Pain Index: 3 stars)

Bulldog ants are considered one of the most dangerous ants in the world. Among them, the short-knotted bull ant can reach 37 mm in length and is extremely ferocious. They are equipped with sharp serrated jaws and tough stings, and they do not hesitate to fight against any creature that hinders them. 

Although their weapons are mainly used to catch prey, bulldog ants sometimes hide under leaves and quickly pounce when prey passes by, inserting the sting into the prey's body. Several such stings are enough to kill an adult within 15 minutes.

9. Saw-needle ants (Smith's bite pain index: 3 stars)

Saw-needle ants belong to the genus Saw-needle ants, a carnivorous ant mainly distributed in tropical and subtropical areas. They are known for the extremely fast opening and closing speed of their large jaws, which can reach speeds of 126 to 230 kilometers per hour. 

This ant is extremely aggressive and uses specialized jaws for instant clamping. The opening and closing speed is only 0.13 milliseconds, which can quickly clamp the prey firmly. The pain of biting through human skin with such a force can be imagined.

10. Harvester ants (Smith's bite pain index: 3 stars)

Harvester ants are named because they store seeds and have a long lifespan. The survival time of worker ants ranges from a few weeks to 3 to 10 years, while the lifespan of queen ants can reach several years or even ten years. They are widely distributed in European countries. Although they are ferocious, they have low attack power. 

Harvester ants are particularly fond of collecting seeds of various herbs and processing them into "seed bread" as food. Among them, the bite of red harvester ants is the most painful. Smith described it as a cold and rough pain, like using a drill to dig out a toenail growing in the flesh. The pain can last for about 20 minutes.

The ranking of the world's 10 most painful insects is mainly based on the insect Smith pain index/popularity and comprehensively refers to the relevant rankings/lists on the Internet for recommendation. It is for entertainment reference only. Comments and corrections are welcome at the end of the article!

animal tags： insect