Insect bites are often extremely painful. When attacking prey, some insects secrete pheromones to summon other insects, making the victim's experience even worse. So, which insect bite do you think is the most painful?
Today, we'll introduce ten of the world's most painful insect bites, including bullet ants, executioner wasps, warrior wasps, desert spider wasps, tiger hornets, ant wasps, and Maricopastil ants. Let's delve into the world of these terrifying insects.
1. Bullet Ant (Smit's bite pain rating: 5 stars)
Bullet ants undoubtedly rank high on the list of the most painful insect stings. To study the sensation of various insect bites, renowned American entomologist Justin personally experienced the stings of over 150 different insect species. According to his "Smit's Pain Index," the sting of a bullet ant was rated number one, described as feeling like walking on burning charcoal or having a 3-inch-long rusty nail driven into your heel—a pain surpassing that of any other insect.
Moreover, this intense pain can last for a full 24 hours. In South America, some young people in Amazonian tribes even deliberately allow themselves to be bitten by bullet ants as a rite of passage, demonstrating their courage and perseverance.
2. Executioner Bee (Smit's sting pain rating: 4 stars)
The executioner wasp is also one of the most painful insects to bite, known for its sting and potent venom, and is considered one of the most dangerous and aggressive wasp species. Its name comes from its behavior of attacking other insects (such as bees and other wasps) and its tendency to pursue humans when threatened.
The stings of executioner bees are notoriously painful, typically accompanied by intense burning, swelling, and redness. The pain can last for hours or even days, depending on the severity of the sting. In rare cases, the venom can cause anaphylactic shock, which can be life-threatening if not treated promptly.
3. Warrior Wasp (Smit's sting pain rating: 4 stars)
The Warrior Wasp, also known as the Samurai Wasp, is rated a pain index of 4 by Professor Schmidt. This species originates from Sulawesi Island in Indonesia and is characterized by its exceptionally large mandible, which, when retracted, can completely cover its face, resembling that of a Japanese ninja. When the mandible is extended, its length exceeds that of its forelegs, and its body length can reach 6.3 centimeters.
As one of the most painful insects to sting, Professor Schmidt described the pain as "like a volcanic eruption, being trapped under a tree, with lava slowly burning your whole body," and that this pain could last for two hours.
4. Desert spider wasp (Smit's sting pain rating: 4 stars)
Among the insects with the most painful bites, the desert spider wasp is quite renowned. It is the world's largest wasp, extremely fierce, solitary, and can even use the venom on its antennae to paralyze wolf spiders larger than itself. Although desert spider wasps generally do not attack humans unprovoked, a bite can cause excruciating pain, with a pain index of 4.
Professor Schmidt described the pain as similar to the electric shock sensation caused when a hairdryer falls into the water while you're taking a bath. Because the desert spider wasp's stinger is extremely powerful, it has almost no natural enemies; one of its only predators is the roadrunner.
5. Hornet (Smit's sting pain rating: 3 stars)
Wasps are insects known for their painful stings, especially the tiger hornet, which gets its name from its large, tiger-like head and its ferocity, as well as its distinctive tiger-striped body. They possess two main weapons: first, the stinger located at the end of their abdomen, which is their most potent weapon.
This stinger is connected to a venom gland inside the body, injecting venom after striking its target. Although the amount of venom is small, victims often experience symptoms such as stinging and swelling, especially those allergic to insect venom or with weakened immune systems, who may experience severe reactions or even shock. We recommend that when outdoors, avoid provoking hornets, avoid wearing brightly colored clothing and perfumes, and choose long sleeves, long pants, and a hat for protection.
6. Ants and wasps (Smit's sting pain rating: 3 stars)
Velvet ants, also known as velvet ants, are among the most painful insects to bite, especially the females, who are highly aggressive. When threatened or disturbed, velvet ants will sting, and the pain from their bites is excruciating, sometimes even causing the death of other animals. In North America, many call them "cattle killers" because their stings can be fatal.
The stinger of the ant-wasp is as long as its entire abdomen and can penetrate deep into the skin, and the pain you experience will last for at least half an hour.
7. Maricopastil ant (Smit's bite pain rating: 3 stars)
Maricopastil ants are venomous ants that live in the deserts of the Americas and are often mistaken for ordinary red ants. However, don't be fooled by their appearance; these ants are far more deadly than common red ants. The sting is extremely painful, but the pain isn't the worst part. Their LD50 (median lethal dose) is only 0.12 mg/kg, meaning that a 1 kg creature can be fatally affected by just 0.12 mg of their venom.
Typically, only 12 stings are needed to kill a 2-kilogram animal. The venom of the Maricopastil ant is far more potent than that of any known bee, wasp, or other ant.
8. Red Bull Dog Ant (Smit's bite pain rating: 3 stars)
Bulldog ants are considered among the most dangerous ants in the world. The short-knotted bull ant, in particular, can reach 37 millimeters in length and is extremely ferocious. Equipped with sharp, serrated mandibles and a powerful stinger, they will not hesitate to fight any creature that stands in their way.
Although their weapons are primarily used for catching prey, bulldog ants sometimes hide under leaves, swiftly striking when prey passes by and embedding their stingers deep into the prey. Several such stings are enough to kill an adult within 15 minutes.
9. Sawtooth Ant (Smitter bite pain rating: 3 stars)
The sawtooth ant belongs to the genus *Sterculia* and is a carnivorous ant species mainly distributed in tropical and subtropical regions. They are known for the extremely fast opening and closing speed of their mandibles, reaching speeds of 126 to 230 kilometers per hour.
These ants are extremely aggressive, using their specialized mandibles to clamp down instantly in a mere 0.13 milliseconds. This allows them to quickly and firmly grasp their prey, and one can only imagine the pain of biting through human skin with such immense force.
10. Harvester Ant (Smit's bite pain rating: 3 stars)
Harvester ants, named for their ability to store seeds, have long lifespans. Worker ants can live from a few weeks to 3 to 10 years, while queens can live for several years, even up to a decade. They are widely distributed throughout Europe and, although fierce, are relatively weak attackers. Harvester ants particularly enjoy collecting the seeds of various herbaceous plants and processing them into "seed bread" for food.
Among them, the bite of the red harvester ant is the most painful. Schmidt described it as a cold and brutal pain, like having a toenail drilled out of the flesh, and the pain can last for about 20 minutes.
This ranking of the 10 most painful insect bites in the world is based primarily on the insect's Schmidt Pain Index and brand awareness, and also takes into account relevant internet rankings and lists. It is for entertainment purposes only, and comments and corrections are welcome at the end of the article!
