The venom of rove beetles is comparable to sulfuric acid? In fact, these insects should be more careful!

It is inevitable to encounter various kinds of insects during summer outings, which may cause harm to people actively or passively. Among them, the most dreaded rove beetle has once again become a hot search.

"Don't take photos of it" and "It's as scary as sulfuric acid". Are rove beetles really that scary? Besides them, what other insects should we watch out for? What should we do if we are unlucky enough to be "infected"?

This short article will help everyone recognize the potential "risks" that may be encountered during these outings, and list the corresponding measures in case of emergency.

Poisonous rove beetle

First, let’s talk about the rove beetle, which has recently become a hot topic in the media again.

Staphylinidae are a class of insects in the order Coleoptera. They are usually small and slender. Unlike most beetles, their elytra are short, their broad hind wings are folded and hidden underneath, and a long part of their abdomen is exposed outside the wings.

A species of rove beetle. Its short elytra and exposed abdomen can be seen | gailhampshire / Wikimedia

Although the damage caused by rove beetles is shocking in various media, in fact the chance of being harmed by rove beetles is not high.

The family of rove beetles is almost the family with the largest number of species in the order Coleoptera. Only a very small number of species may have an impact on the human body, and the most likely to cause harm is the poisonous rove beetle. And unless their bodies are accidentally crushed, they generally will not cause harm to the skin. The saying that crawling over the body will cause skin ulcers is really an exaggeration.

The poisonous rove beetle has a bright color scheme, which is also a warning color. When we see rove beetles with such color schemes, we just need to be more careful. Most rove beetles can live in peace with us on outings, so we don't need to be afraid of rove beetles.

The poisonous rove beetle Paederus is a type of rove beetle with very bright colors that is easy to identify. Most other rove beetles will not cause any harm, so there is no need to panic. | Alvesgaspar / Wikimedia

tick

The "bugs" that actively hurt people should be guarded against more. I say "bugs" instead of insects because the most noteworthy blood-sucking bugs are not insects, but ticks belonging to the class Arachnida.

The tick, which had not yet sucked blood, crawled on my pants. I then mercilessly flicked it away.

Hard ticks (Ixodidae) are undoubtedly the most dangerous insects to watch out for when you go hiking. These flat spider-like arthropods cling to the tips of grass, waiting for an opportunity to slip onto passing warm-blooded animals. Adult ticks can suck large amounts of blood from their hosts with their piercing-sucking mouthparts until they are able to prop themselves up into a ball. This is especially common on pet dogs and hedgehogs, and some regions call them "dog beans."

Although the chance of encountering ticks in urban areas is usually small, you need to be careful in suburban areas. When you leave the grass, you should first check if there are any ticks crawling on it. In areas with dense tick populations, you should also check your clothes for ticks that have already started to suck blood.

After completely sucking blood, the hard tick can swell into a ball.

what to do?

If you have been bitten by a tick, do not try to pull it off with your bare hands. Use sharp tweezers to hold the tick's head and pull it out slowly to prevent its mouthparts from breaking under the skin and causing infection. If you do not have confidence in yourself, it is safer to go to the hospital for treatment.

Ticks can stay on their host's body and suck blood for several days, so those who want to wait for it to eat and fall off can give up this idea.

Tick ​​bites themselves are not terrible, but the terrible thing is that the bites may spread latent forest encephalitis, hemorrhagic fever, typhus and various protozoan diseases. If you are bitten by a tick in an area with a record of tick-transmitted diseases, it is best to seek medical attention in time and follow the doctor's advice.

mosquito

The various familiar blood-sucking mosquitoes of the order Diptera are also worthy of attention.

We are all familiar with the Culicidae insects, which are generally called mosquitoes. Although mosquito bites usually do not necessarily cause diseases, they do make people feel uncomfortable.

A mosquito sucking blood from my arm.

The mosquito's cousins: blackflies (Simuliidae), midges (Ceratopogonidae), and sand flies (Psychodidae), these blood-sucking insects that are often collectively referred to as "little bites" are equally annoying, and some of them may spread diseases.

From left to right: blackfly, midge, sandfly | Fritz Geller-Grimm, xpda, Frank Collins / Wikimedia

After the gnat bites, it will leave a tiny blood blister, so some places call it "a little red", which is a very easy-to-identify feature. But don't panic, the small blood blister will disappear on its own after a few days.

The bites of midges and sand flies may cause local swelling and pain, but unless you are allergic, it will not cause any problems.

Compared to mosquitoes, gnats, midges, and sandflies are as tiny as dust and often difficult to spot. They are especially common near sunny streams and usually suck blood during the day or evening.

what to do?

There is no one-size-fits-all solution to deal with mosquito bites and other blood suckers when you are out on an outing. Mosquito repellent is a good choice, but it also needs to be replenished continuously to prevent it from becoming ineffective. The most effective defense is to avoid exposing your skin as much as possible, or to go to a different place to play.

Speaking of biting mosquitoes, I would also like to mention the Tendipedidae, which is often blamed by various parks. Unlike blood-sucking mosquitoes, the adult Tendipedidae hardly eats food, let alone bites people.

These mosquito-like dipteran insects like to fly in groups by the lake. That is actually their wedding, but it is often mistakenly believed that the park is poorly managed and has bred a large number of mosquitoes.

Chironomids. They look like mosquitoes, but they don't actually suck blood. Chironomids are an important cornerstone of a healthy ecosystem.

These flying midges do not cause any harm to people. They are also food for many birds and dragonflies. The larvae of the midges nourish the colorful small fish and shrimps in the water. Therefore, when you see the "mosquitoes" flying in the park again, don't rush to complain to the park. It is the existence of these basic organisms in the food chain that allows our city to have all kinds of cute little animals living without worries of food and clothing.

gadfly

Compared to various small bites, another type of blood-sucking dipteran insect, the horsefly (Tabanidae), can be regarded as a big killer. In terms of size, the horsefly is much larger than various "small bites" and is often even larger than the flies you see at home.

Tabanidae are widespread, and these insects, which look like large flies, often have a pair of colorful compound eyes, and some species have striped wings, which do not look ugly. In the natural environment, tabanidae usually bite large mammals such as cattle and horses, so when they decide to use their mouthparts that can bite through cowhide to try on the delicate skin and tender flesh of humans, the pain caused can be imagined.

Blood-sucking tabanidae insects often have beautifully colored compound eyes. If you see such "flies" approaching, be sure to drive them away in time.

Over the years, I have been stung by horseflies only a few times, but each time was memorable. At least twice, the pain made me shudder and scream. The bite of a horsefly causes a large lump, and the amount of blood sucked is much greater than that of other dipteran blood-sucking insects. Large species can suck up to 200 mg of blood at a time. Of course, because of the intense pain caused by the bite, no one should lose too much blood from horseflies.

Various types of "gadflies" that can be often encountered in parks. Only species of Tabanidae can bite people, while other "gadflies" that may cause confusion are harmless to humans. The picture above is a bee fly, and the picture below is a robber fly, neither of which will bite people.

what to do?

Like other blood-sucking insects, the bites of horseflies may also spread some zoonotic diseases and pathogens, so you must be careful when you go outing. Mosquito repellents are generally ineffective against them, and horseflies can bite directly through clothes. So if you want to avoid being attacked by horseflies, you can only drive away the big flies buzzing around you in time.

flea

Fleas, as small as sesame seeds, are easily overlooked by us most of the time, but they may indeed appear in urban green spaces, especially where there are many stray cats and dogs.

Cat flea magnified 35 times | Erturac / Wikimedia

Unlike lice, fleas have stronger mobility, and walking through bushes or coming into contact with stray animals may give fleas an opportunity to take advantage. Fleas pierce the skin with their piercing-sucking mouthparts to suck blood, and after biting, there will be obvious itching and pain, as well as erythema and papules. Although the symptoms of most people will not last long, except for those with allergic constitutions, there are still cases of serious skin damage.

Flea bites | Michael Voelker / flickr

what to do?

Flea bites are rare during daily outings. Cleaning clothes promptly, taking a bath every day, and avoiding close contact with stray animals can effectively prevent flea harassment.

wasp

The above are basically the only "bugs" that we can encounter in our daily outings that will actively cause harm to people. They are all bloodthirsty little bad guys. However, there are some insects that may not actively harm you, and various bees are one of them.

Social wasps seek out high-protein foods to bring back to their nests to feed their offspring, so the food people eat on picnics can easily attract various types of wasps and hornets: whether it is high-sugar food or meat, it may attract them to steal.

If you accidentally disturb these bees, they may fight back in self-defense. The sting of wasps is more painful than that of bees. If you are attacked by a swarm of wasps, you can only run away with your head in your arms.

Wasps and hornets belong to the same family, Vespidae, in the order Hymenoptera. Wasp nests have an outer shell, while hornet nests look like an upside-down lotus pod. It is dangerous to approach their nests, especially if you encounter them unknowingly.

what to do?

Wasps generally won't attack people unless you get too close to their hive. If you encounter a flying wasp, don't hit it. Just stay still and let it fly away on its own.

Of course, if you see a beehive around you, you should stay away from it. If you can't afford to offend it, you have to hide from it.

bee

Because they share our crazy passion for flowers, bees become insects that easily come into close contact with people.

The effects of a bee sting are usually not as severe as those of a wasp sting, but it can still have nightmarish consequences for people with allergies or who disturb an entire hive.

We are all very familiar with bees (Apis), and you can see beehives placed by beekeepers in some outings. Although bees are relatively gentle, you should keep a certain distance from them.

Unlike hornets, the bees we encounter in daily life announce the end of their own lives when they sting you, which can be said to be a fight to the death.

what to do?

Fortunately, these little insects that bring us sweetness are generally gentle and are not likely to get angry even when you approach them up close - unless you hold them in your hands.

Ant

In addition to the various bees, ants that can be found almost everywhere on the ground may also cause stings, especially species of the subfamily Ponerinae. Ponerinae have stings similar to those of wasps - after all, they are themselves a type of specialized bees, and can cause severe pain.

In southern China, special attention should be paid to the invasive species red fire ants, which cause many cases of allergies every year.

what to do?

If you accidentally disturb these ants or step on an ant nest, the best way is to move away immediately, otherwise the ants will quickly attack in groups.

The sting of ants from the genus Myrmex can cause severe pain. When you are out camping on the grass, you need to pay attention to whether there are ant nests under your feet.

After being stung by a bee or ant, you generally don't need to do much, just endure the pain for a while; but if there are obvious allergic reactions such as redness, swelling, and fever all over the body, it is still recommended to seek medical attention.

Caterpillar

You may also encounter a variety of caterpillars on your plants. Although contact with most caterpillars is harmless, the larvae of tussock moths and gypsy moths can often cause severe pain or allergies, so be extra careful.

The barbs on many moth larvae, such as the larva of the tussock moth pictured here, can cause pain and allergies.

The caterpillars of the caterpillar moth are relatively easy to identify: their short, thick bodies, bright colors, and exaggerated thorns make them look like they are not to be trifled with. Because their sting is so painful, many places call them "foreign peppers."

The larvae of the caterpillar moth are very distinctive and can cause you to remember the pain for the rest of your life if you accidentally encounter them. They can appear on many types of trees and require special attention.

Fortunately, no caterpillar will attack people. Moreover, I think most people will not touch the larvae covered with thorns. So as long as you don't blindly climb plants or shake trees, and check whether there are caterpillars lying on the trunk before holding it, you will generally not be harmed by them.

Still, beware of the occasional, accidental contact—the nightmare scenario of a caterpillar falling from a tree into your collar.

other

Many seemingly harmless insects have certain defenses after being caught. After being caught, assassin bugs and some aquatic bugs may bite your fingers with their needle-like piercing and sucking mouthparts; the hind legs of large locusts can also cause trauma; and the powerful mandibles of beetles such as longhorn beetles can easily cut the skin.

Although assassin bugs and many aquatic bugs will not bite you, their bites in self-defense can cause severe pain if you catch them. Try to avoid catching insects and other small animals that you are not familiar with.

In short, except for those insects that will actively bite us to suck our blood, most insects can coexist peacefully with humans. However, it is still recommended that everyone treat insects with respect and do not catch them without understanding them.

In fact, this is true not only for "bugs", but also for other wild animals. Most insects are harmless to us, and they will not become a disaster in a healthy ecosystem. We don't have to panic about them. If you don't like these little bugs, you can choose to stay away from them instead of stepping on them to death. If you have the energy to learn a little about them, it will definitely be interesting to look down at the abundance of species with awe.

Author: Wu Xiaoka is a good kid

All images except those with signatures are provided by the author

This article comes from the Species Calendar, welcome to forward

If you need to reprint, please contact [email protected]