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If the film Arachnophobia wasn't proof enough that insects are nothing to play with, this recent news cements the theory. In Central China, Asian Giant Hornets are terrorizing citizens, gauging their flesh and killing 20 to 40 people a year. Luckily, there haven't been any spotted in the United States, yet.
Although the US may be home to many dangers (government shutdowns and rapidly expanding waistlines among them), foreign countries contain the most gruesome insects. Despite the propaganda A Bug's Life and Antz put on you as a child, insects are not to messed with. Spiders can leave you paralyzed and bees can end your life. Know thy enemy: The Most Deadly Insects in the World.
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18. Funnel-web Spiders
Native habitat: Eastern Australia
Death toll: 1, but no recent deaths have occured due to the development of antivenom
Why you should be terrified of them: Its venom is very poisonous, but only when it comes from the male species. If stung, the venom will begin to take over the nervous system
Funnel-web spiders are usually watching for prey in the foresty areas of Australia. Not all species are poisonous, but those that are extremely poisonous. The venom of the male contains Robustoxin, which is a toxin that completely destroys the nervous system of humans, monkeys, and other mammals. Thanks to scientists, an antivenom was discovered in 1981 and since then no deaths have been recorded.
17. Fat-tailed Scorpion
Native habitat: Africa
Death toll: This scorpion is responsible for the most human deaths via insect bite
Why you should be terrified of them: It's the most dangerous insect in the game
In many cultures this scorpion is referred to as the "man killer" for obvious reasons. This Fat-tailed scorpion is ranked the most dangerous because so many people fall to their death once they are stung. The name "fat-tail" comes from its wide tail which contains the potent venom. They are scattered around the Middle East and tend to stick around dry areas in attempts to avoid humidity. They mainly prey on insects and, once stung, the wounded area turns to liquid.
16. Redback Spiders
Native habitat: Terrestrial habitat in Australia
Death toll: Only the female redback spider is dangerous when it bites. These bites can result in serious illness but rarely result in death
Why you should be terrified of them: The venom of the redback spider affects the nerves of humans and can cause serious damage if not treated. More than 250 cases of bites receive antivemon yearly.
The Redback spider is a relative of the well known Black Widow spider. The Redback can be found in North America, South America, Europe, Africa, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. You can distinguish the male redback spider from the female based on their markings. Symptoms from a bite consist of severe pain, sweating, and naseau. Thankfully, no deaths have been recorded in recent years.
15. Katipo Spider
Native habitat: New Zealand
Death toll: 6 cases were fatal out of 98 occasions recorded
Why you should be terrified of them: A bite from the katipo spider can be fatal, as venom spreads throughout the body within minutes.
The Katipo spider is closely related to the Redback and a close relative of the poisonous Black Widow spider. It's not a common spider, but when it's found there are several. Once the venom sinks in a victims blood stream, it spreads within minutes, leading to several symptoms ranging from mild to severe.
14. The Bullet Ant
Native habitat: in the forest
Death toll: It can only kill you if you have an allergic reaction to the sting.
Why you should be terrified of them: Although it's not probable that you will die from being stung by this ant, the ant got it's name because so many people compared the sting to being shot by a bullet. So, there's that.
You should definitely be intimidated by these bullet ants because they can cause serious pain that no one should have to endure. These ants can be found in the rainforests and because of how small they are, people often pay them no mind—until they get stung. This ant won't do harm unless they feel threatened or bothered by someone. In Brazil, bullet ants are used during a ceremony where young boys become warriors. Being stung by one of these ants can lead to continuous pain, paralysis and shaking for several days. They might not be killer ants, but they are definitely ranked as one of the most dangerous insects in the world.
13. Jumping Ants
Native habitat: Australia
Death toll: Three deaths and one possible death have been related to Jack Jumper stings in Tasmania.
Why you should be terrified of them: Not only does the ant leap, but its aggressive behavior will leave you with piercing pain.
Jumping ants have been camping out in Australia for the past 30 minutes. This aggressive ant targets its prey by sight unlike other venomous ants that target by scent. They can sting through the thickest fabric and the pain is almost like a mild electric shock. If allergic to the venom more severe symptoms can arise that should be dealt with immediately. You are most likely to find these jumping ants during the summer months near gum trees.
12. Puss Caterpillar
Native habitat: North America (woodland and surrounding areas)
Death toll: No deaths as of yet, but a handful of people have come close from being misdiagnosed.
Why you should be terrified of them: Despite the soft hair on its exterior, the venomous spines on the bottom of this fuzzy creature are very sharp.
The Puss caterpillar is living evidence that you can't judge a book by its cover. This insect looks like it's all warm and fuzzy, but once you get stung, your entire perception will change. Although, getting stung rarely warrants medical attention, but increasing pain throughout the body is a warning sign that it may be. Not all physicians are capable of identifying the bite and diagnose patients with something totally different, sometimes leading to accidental deaths.
11. Africanized Honey Bee
Native habitat: Piracicaba, Brazil
Death toll: 7 deaths in the United States, but 175 deaths in Mexico have been reported since 1985
Why you should be terrified of them: The Africanized Honey bee can kill humans because they travel in larger groups for longer distances.
The Africanized Honey bee can be found in five states in the United States and scientists believe that they will continue to spread through southern United States. The African Honey bee's main enemy is the European Honey bee. They are better known as killer bees because of how aggressive they can be. Once the bee stings its prey they instantly die after the stinger and venom are ripped from the body.
10. Black Widow
Native habitat: Southeastern Europe
Death toll: Death rate is 5% and only occurs when the bite isn't treated right away, resulting in suffocation and convulsion.
Why you should be terrified of them: The black widows venom is 14 times more potent than that of a rattlesnake.
Black widows are highly poisonous and produce the venom neurotoxic causing serious symptoms including death in certain cases. They are not aggressive and only bite when they feel like they are being threatened. The bite is lethal for children that are under 15 kilograms. The bite usually goes unnoticed because it is far from painful. Small children, the elderly, and people with heart conditions are at a greater risk after getting bit. But, in most cases, after five days of receiving the needed medication, the person recovers from complications.
9. Brown Recluse Spider
Native habitat: Midwestern and Southeastern states
Death toll: Death from brown recluse spiders have only been reported in children younger than the age of 7 years.
Why you should be terrified of them: They attack when they feel most threatened.
Often times people believe that they have been bitten by a Brown Recluse spider when in most cases it was a different spider. These spiders are known for the violin pattern on their back and unlike most spiders, they don't have eight eyes. They are not aggressive unless bothered and seek warm, dry places. Most brown recluse usually do most of their biting in the warmer summer months.
8. Fire Ants
Native habitat: South America
Death toll: About a dozen Americans die from being stung by a fire ant yearly.
Why you should be terrified of them: About 5 million Americans are stung by fire ants every year. The fire ant attacks with both a bite and a sting.
The venom that is injected by these fire ants is known as histamine. Histamine is a chemical that produces pain, itching, swelling and redness of the skin. The pain of a fire ant sting is more bearable than a bee or wasp sting. These stings form into a white pustule within a day. An allergic reaction may occur resulting in sweating, slurred speech, chest pain, shortness of breath, and shock, among other symptoms. The sting itself is usually not life-threatening, but secondary infections can result in death.
7. Anopheles Mosquito
Native habitat: All over the world with the exception of Antartica
Death toll: Between 300 and 500 million cases of malaria occur each year and a child dies from malaria every 30 seconds
Why you should be terrified of them: Believe it or not, mosquitos are the most deadly insect in the world.
The parasite known as the Anophele mosquito carries what creates the deadly disease known as malaria. Malaria is not contagious because it is a blood transmitted disease. Only the female species can transmit the disease. The United States has dismissed malaria as a public health issue because unlike other countries, they have the money to fund treatment. Only a few hundred cases of this disease are reported each year in the United States compared to the many cases in many other countries. Several drugs exist, but there is no malaria vaccine at the moment.
6. Tse Tse Fly
Native habitat: Sub-Saharan nations (Africa)
Death toll: Every year 250,000 to 300,000 people are left to suffer because they go undiagnosed and untreated
Why you should be terrified of them: This fly feeds on the blood of mammals resulting in the body slowly being destroyed by a parasite.
The Tse Tse fly belongs to the family of the house fly. This insect carries a parasite that travels through the flesh if bitten, leading to death. This death is referred to as the sleeping sickness resulting in certain body parts shutting down and the person becoming comatose. The disease is easy to treat, but because of the expensive medication, several go untreated and end up dying.
5. The Scorpion
Native habitat: The desert
Death toll: At least 1,000 people die yearly due to scorpion bites
Why you should be terrified of them: Although only 1/4 of scorpion's have poisonous venom, the venom is deadly enough to kill a person.
There are more than 1,700 species of scorpions that have been identified. They range from a variety of colors and sizes. Because they don't have the best eye sight, they rely on their vibrations and sense of smell. The venom from certain species are poisonous, but it's very hard to find them in order to remove them from those areas.
4. Kissing Bug
Native habitat: United States and Latin America
Death toll: Over 18 million people have become infected, resulting in 14,000 deaths every year
Why you should be terrified of them: There is nothing romantic about kissing bugs. They are blood suckers that are attracted to light, odor, and warm body temperatures.
The most common kissing bug is located in Arizona. They are usually located in packrat nests. Severe allergic reactions are common leading to skin irritation and redness. The more common symptoms are anaphalitic shock, which requires immediate medical attention and can lead to Chaga's disease. Chaga's disease is a result of the feces of the kissing bug entering into the human blood stream. Sounds delightful.
3. African Driver Ant
Native habitat: Equatorial African
Death toll: No specific number of deaths, but they can skelentonize a human in about four hours
Why you should be terrified of them: These killer ants are referred to as the "blind killing machine" because if you fall asleep in their ant horde, it's all downhill from there.
We're so used to ants being harmless bugs, but these African Driver ants play absolutely no games. They are known to slash you flesh on your lips, eyes and nostrils. Once they find your flesh they release formic acid. They travel to the internal organs of a human leaving the victim in pain and darkness. This large swarm of ants has the ability to choke you and leave you twitching on the ground holding on for dear life.
2. Brazilian Wandering Spider
Native habitat: Tropical South and Central America
Death toll: No specific number of deaths, but they are said to inject venom into 9 out of 10 of their bites
Why you should be terrified of them: The Brazilian Wandering Spider, also known as the Banana Spider, has been recorded as the world's deadliest, most venomous spider in the Guiness Book of World records.
The Brazilian Wandering spider is usually found lounging in homes, cars or in banana plants. Their venom is so deadly it can leave a person paralyzed or with a loss of oxygen resulting in death. Some of the known symptoms consist of breathing problems, loss of muscle control, inflammation, and intense pain. Although all of these symptoms can lead to death or severe damage to the body, the venom of this spider has been studied to possibly be used as an erectile dysfunction treatment.
1. Asian Giant Hornet
Native habitat: East and Southeast Asia
Death toll: Killed 42 people and injured 1,675
Why you should be terrified of them: This giant hornet's venom can be detrimental to your red blood cells causing kidney failure and death. After being stung on both the head and legs during the summer, a victim suffered sting holes the size of quarters, and two months later, remains hospititalized.
The size of Asian Giant Hornet is comparable to a human thumb. The giant hornets are attracted to human sweat, alcohol, and sweet flavors and smells. Running only makes them want to chase you even more, so it's your best bet to keep it cool. Thankfully, the chances of these hornets making their way to the United States are slim to none.