The most dangerous insects in the world are creatures that live in different parts of the world. They endanger humans and animals in various ways: they sting and release venom, carry various diseases, or create a lot of trouble just by their presence.
There are more than 30 million species of insects, but among them, there are a dozen of the most dangerous, whose small size creates a deceptive impression of their harmlessness.
These are the 10 most dangerous insects in the world
1. Mosquitoes
Every minute in the world, a person suffers from a mosquito bite. They account for the most human deaths, so mosquitoes are the most dangerous insects in the world. The mosquito has a long proboscis that easily penetrates human skin. Its flight is silent and landing on the body is not felt at all.
Only females drink blood because it is necessary for them to continue the race. After being bitten for half an hour, malaria develops, which affects the blood and liver. From mosquito bites, or rather from blood poisoning, entire herds of animals can die. And in Suriname, there is still a type of death penalty, when mosquitoes are allowed on the convicted person.
2. Gadfly
Gadflies are the well-known most dangerous insects that mainly attack cattle, but in South America, the subspecies are also dangerous for humans. More precisely, the larvae of this insect are dangerous. Females lay larvae in the epidermis, where they develop for 2 months. In this case, a noticeable cone-shaped bump is formed and the person feels movement under the skin.
When the larva matures, it comes out and this process is very painful. The gadfly, because of its principle of reproduction and the appearance of the larva, is also considered one of the most terrible insects.
3. Lonomia
Lonomia or “lazy clown” is an insect that exudes danger. South Americans are afraid of accidentally meeting this beautiful insect. Under the bright and beautiful caterpillar lurks a dangerous killer. The villi that cover the entire body of the lonomia secrete a powerful poison.
A person who touches the lonomia, almost instantly fails the kidneys, internal bleeding begins and the body becomes covered with hematomas. If there was contact with several insects at once, then this threatens with a brain hemorrhage. It is very difficult for a person to recover from such exposure to poison. All victims of the lazy clown remain disabled.
4. Ticks
Ticks are a real danger to humans and animals. They can smell their prey from a distance of ten meters, hide in the grass and wait patiently. With the help of legs with suction cups, ticks quickly move over their prey. Basically, they tend to the armpits, groin, and neck. Moreover, ticks can go without food for several years, but when allowed to eat, they become insatiable.
Ticks eat so much so that their weight can increase a hundred times from the original. In total, there are about 50 thousand species. For humans, the most dangerous ticks are those that transmit encephalitis, which affects the human nervous system and brain, often leading to disability and even death.
5. Africanized bee
Africanized bees turned into one of the most dangerous insects by accident. A scientist who brought the Kerr breed from Africa accidentally released bees and the females interbred with drones. The result of mixing was a very aggressive bee. This species is very hardy and strong. Bees are capable of attacking domestic and killing animals and people in a swarm, which is why they are called “killer bees”.
No one dares to approach their hive, otherwise, there is a risk of death. Bees can chase the victim for several kilometers. Even if a person dives into the water to hide from pursuers, they will circle the surface for a long time and wait for the victim. Insects do not calm down like European bees in an hour but remain in an aggressive state for up to 8 hours.
6. Tsetse fly
The tsetse fly is a no less dangerous insect that lives in Africa, as it is a carrier of sleeping sickness. It is distinguished from an ordinary fly by a long proboscis and a drawing on the wing that resembles a butcher’s knife. Interesting fact-tsetse does not attack only zebras, as for flies it is a continuous ripple of stripes.
It attacks other animals and humans with lightning speed. Tsetse attack any object that emits heat. They can even attack a running car. Tsetse has been and is being constantly combated. Good results were shown by an experiment in which a large number of flies were caught. The captured males were sterilized and released into the wild. The females they fertilized did not produce offspring as a result. So we managed to significantly reduce the population of dangerous killers.
7. Flea
A flea is an insect from which people have been suffering for many centuries. It was fleas that caused the plague that struck all of Europe in the 12th century and killed 15 million people. First of all, the danger of fleas is that they are a carrier of many dangerous diseases such as encephalitis, typhus, anthrax, and various helminthiases.
In the course of evolution, they lost the ability to fly, but their mouth became capable of biting through the thick skin of the victim and drinking their blood.
8. Kissing bugs
The name “kissing bugs” has nothing to do with the behavior of this dangerous insect, namely the bad habit of stinging a person on the lips. The bug is attracted by the warmth of the breath and the emitted carbon dioxide. It attacks during the night. In tropical countries, the insect is the spread of a disease such as Chagas disease, the symptoms of which can develop over several decades and a person develops heart failure.
9. Asian Bumblebee
In Asia, you can meet a very dangerous insect called the Asian bumblebee. It is difficult not to notice it because the dimensions are impressive – 5cm in length and wingspan – 7. 5 cm. With its 0.6 cm sting, a bumblebee can sting many times in a row. In terms of pain, its bite is comparable to that if a red-hot iron was applied to the body. In addition, the poison has a specific smell by which other bumblebees find the same prey and attack.
10. Bullet ant
If a bullet ant or a diurnal ant screams, then it is ready to attack its prey. One of the most dangerous insects lives on a tree, where it grows its anthill, the height of which can be more than 10 meters. This species is common in South America and is distinguished by a powerful sting and a paralyzing poison. The bullet ant is a predator. It feeds on both living and dead insects but also loves the sweet sap of plants.
It is considered a peaceful inhabitant of the tropics until danger threatens. If you have to defend yourself, the ant will first emit a warning hissing sound, emit an unpleasant odor, and only then will attack. Its bite is so painful that it is comparable to a bullet wound. Hence the name “bullet”. And the pain experienced by the bitten lasts a day, which gave the second name “diurnal” or “24 hours”.
