A few weeks ago, the international biologist community reported that years of field research had resulted in the discovery of many entirely new species of animals and insects, most notably the blue scorpion and the giant hairy spider.
Over 20 years of research in the tropics, many previously unknown animals and insects were discovered. Of course, publish it full list species is not yet possible, since most of the finds have not yet been systematized, but a group of scientists decided to tell the public about the most amazing finds during their work!
One of the most unusual finds was a huge tarantula spider (theraphosa blondi). The body length of an adult insect (without legs) reaches almost 20 centimeters, and its weight is up to 170 grams! At the moment, this is the largest spider in the world known to science.
The spider was first discovered during an expedition in Gaina (a small state on the northeastern coast of South America). The spider lives in underground burrows and, despite its name, feeds not on birds at all, but on small invertebrates (lizards and even poisonous snakes)! Despite the fact that the spider has poisonous fangs, its bite is not dangerous to humans.
The imperial scorpion (Pandinus imperator) is no less interesting. The body size of the imperial scorpion reaches 20 centimeters. This is one of the largest scorpions in the world (the largest scorpion is considered to be from India).
The imperial scorpion was also discovered in 2006 in Ghana. Despite its impressive size, the scorpion is not at all considered a dangerous predator and the basis of its diet is termites.
Another discovery of biologists, as Dailymail reports, was new look ants. Hook ants were discovered in 2007 in Cambodia. These insects make their homes in the trunks of dead trees, easily cutting tunnels in the wood thanks to sharp hooks on their bodies.
The large family of bedbugs is surprising in its diversity. Among them there are predators, bloodsuckers, pests and completely harmless creatures. The body sizes of these creatures range from 0.3 mm to 15 cm. Insects have conquered all elements, including water. Water bugs such as smoothies and giant water bugs cannot be ignored. If giants live in tropical countries: India, Thailand, South America. The smoothie bug can be found in our reservoirs.
How to recognize smoothie
The name speaks for itself. The bug's body resembles a boat. The streamlined shape allows it to move quickly in the water. A smooth surface makes this process easier. The insect has 3 pairs of legs. The last ones are the longest and most unusual - in the form of oars. Thanks to them, the smooth water bug calmly cuts through the water column and quickly reaches its intended goal. The appearance of the smooth water bug attracts the human eye rather than repels it. Interesting coloring, which is distributed in the correct geometric shape. Shades are present: yellow, green, light green, brown. And even pink. There are huge eyes on the head of the water bug.
Features of behavior
Interestingly, smooth water bugs can make sounds that are similar to the chirping of grasshoppers. The insect quickly rubs its front legs along the proboscis and produces a kind of singing. This water bug swims in a special way. He turns over on his back and changes beyond recognition. This strange feature helps the insect remain undetected in the water by predators such as fish. Because the smooth body of a water bug with a color matching the color of the pond is difficult to notice from the depths. The smoothie spreads its legs to the side and moves smoothly, pushing off with its fins. From the height of a bird's flight, a water bug can be confused with a plant. Therefore, birds often ignore it. At the same time, the water smoothie calmly approaches the victim, which lives in top layer water and starts eating. However for a long time they cannot be in water. They periodically turn over and rise to the surface to inhale air. And at this very moment they risk being eaten.
In case of danger, the water bug acts like most of its relatives. He's just pretending to be dead. And when this does not help, the smoothie releases an odorous substance with an unpleasant odor. In nature, such a signal is regarded as “beware, poisonous!”
Insect habitats
The smoothie bug prefers closed reservoirs with standing water. But to see it, you don’t have to go to such places. The insect may end up in a puddle or a barrel of water. And in the evening you can find him in the veranda or on the terrace. Smooth water bugs fly well. But water bugs rarely do this. Mainly to move to more suitable bodies of water in search of food. They have a weakness - they love bright light. In the evening, the activity of smoothie bugs increases. Because many insects begin to crawl out of their shelters at this time. And switched on light bulbs and lanterns cannot be ignored. For those who camp near the pond for the night, an encounter with these creatures is guaranteed.
Food preferences of the water bug
The smoothie bug is no different from other members of its family in terms of nutrition. The insect has a piercing - sucking oral apparatus, and the saliva contains a nerve agent. However, like all representatives of this family. Water bugs first pierce the victim, then let in an antiseptic. Under the influence of unique saliva, all the insides quickly liquefy. The smoothie bug can calmly start eating and suck out all the insides.
Smooth offspring
The insect lays eggs, which it carefully hides at the bottom of the reservoir. They are located by water bugs on the lower part of plants. The eggs are light yellow in color. Gather into an even circle. On average, the larva matures in 2 weeks. If the water is warm, water bugs are born 2-3 days earlier. The appearance of the larvae changes throughout the summer. During this time, water bugs go through 4 molts. After each, they increase in size and change color. Leads the same lifestyle as an adult. They don't really stick together. Everyone hunts individually.
Danger to humans
Gladysh can be called an exotic harmless creature. Man is not his goal. The insect bites extremely rarely. Mainly in cases where he feels danger. Curious and fearless children often suffer from them. When they pick up a bug, they risk getting a sting similar to a bee. The poison contained in saliva is not dangerous to humans. But the bite site will be felt for a long time. Gladysh can be called more useful than harmful. The tireless water bug eats hundreds of mosquito larvae per day. Regulates the number of other harmful insects. Gladysh never attacks people first. Don't touch him and he won't touch you!
Giant bedbugs - who are they?
Fortunately or unfortunately, there are no giant waterbugs in our area. Giant water bug is an alien tropical creature. Belongs to the genus Belostoma. Reaches a length of 15 cm. The color is brown with different tints. The terrifying appearance of an insect does not mean that it is dangerous to humans. Giant water bugs have 3 pairs of limbs. The front ones are bent in the form of claws. With them, the predator grabs the prey and pulls it towards itself.
Hunting process and nutrition
Giant water bugs can be found in bodies of water with standing water. The Belostoma giant water bug prefers to hunt at night. Water bugs choose a convenient place and simply freeze. When the victim approaches, the giant bug quickly grabs it with its pincers. Belostoma's saliva contains a substance with a nerve-paralytic effect. The victim has no chance of surviving if the waterbug injection has already followed. Giant water bugs are interested in large insects, frogs, and small fish. The giant belostoma bug itself rarely becomes a victim.
Reproduction
This item requires special attention. Caring for future offspring is completely transferred to the strong back of giant water bugs - papas. The female Belostoma lays 3–4 eggs directly on the back of the male. He does this until there are about 100 pieces there. The back of giant water bugs can easily accommodate this amount. From now on, all responsibility is shifted to dad. The water bug carries them for 2 weeks. Periodically, the giant water bug rises to the surface and exposes its back to warm up. In this way, the larvae avoid the formation of mold and accumulation of harmful microorganisms. In this form, belostoma resembles a hedgehog.
The harm and benefits of giant water bugs
There is no need to fear for a person’s life or health when encountering this water bug. Belostoma does not hunt humans. In addition, for giant water bugs, it is preferable to quickly take refuge in a safe place. However, highly persistent and curious people run the risk of being bitten. Water bugs bite like a bee or wasp. There won't be any big consequences. There will just be redness and swelling. The sore spot will calm down after a week.
On the contrary, Belostoma is considered a very useful bug. Water bugs are the only creature that can calmly deal with pests such as three-keeled turtles. They pose a great danger to the younger generation of commercial fish.
In addition, giant harmless water bugs themselves suffer from human hands. Giant water bug is served fried in Thai restaurants. The demand for such exotic dishes is quite high. Therefore, in some lakes the giant bug remained in small numbers. And on farms they are trying to breed them.
The bug is not always harmful and dangerous to health. Rash destruction of these creatures is strictly prohibited. Even if a wonderful dish is prepared from a bug. Everything in nature is interconnected! Perhaps in the era global warming such large creatures will appear in our ponds. You need to know how to meet them.
It's time to meet the largest, longest and heaviest insects on Earth. Naturally, the largest species lived in the prehistoric era, but even in modern world There are still some incredible bugs out there that will give anyone goosebumps. From the creepy giant weta to the more famous praying mantis, here is a list of the 25 largest insects in the world.
25. Protodonata or Meganisoptera
Meganisoptera is not only the largest dragonfly that has ever existed on our planet, but also the largest insect in the world. With a wingspan of up to 75 centimeters, this giant insect soared the skies from the Carboniferous era to the end of the Permian era (approximately 317 - 247 million years ago). Meganisoptera lived long before the appearance of pterosaurs, birds and bats, which means it had no equal in the sky.
24. Giant weta
Photo: Dinobass
The giant weta is a very large species of insect that lives primarily in New Zealand. An adult beetle can weigh 35 grams. Weta prefers to hide in fallen leaves and the bark of fallen trees, and rests mainly during the day. At night, the heavyweight leaves its shelter to move to other trees in search of food and more comfortable housing. Despite its impressive size, the giant weta lives only 6-9 months.
23. Lumberjack Titan
Photo: Bernard Dupont
Endemic tropical forests South America, the titan lumberjack is the largest known beetle not only in the Amazon jungle, but also one of the most large species insects in the world. Titan grows up to 16.7 centimeters in length (according to unconfirmed reports - up to 22 centimeters), and distinctive feature This giant insect has impressive claws with which it can easily grab a pencil, for example. Rumor has it that the Titan Lumberjack can even tear human flesh with its pincers. The most interesting thing is that entomologists have not yet been able to detect its larvae, and naturalists so far can only assume that the beetle spends the beginning of its life inside trees.
22. Australian walking stick
Photo: Rosa Pineda
The Australian walking stick (Extatosoma tiaratum) is a huge herbivorous insect native to the tropical and temperate rainforests of Australia. These creatures are very similar to praying mantises, but entomologists distinguish them as two absolutely different types. Females are usually larger than males, reaching up to 20 centimeters in length and covered with spiny spines. In turn, males also have something to boast about - they have as many as 3 eyes, and they can fly, unlike females, who only have the rudiments of wings.
21. Moth satin
Photo: Quartl
This giant moth lives in the tropical and subtropical forests of the South East Asia, and is considered one of the most large species lepidopteran insects on the planet. The wingspan of the tropical moth is 25 centimeters, and the surface area of the wings of the atlas is 400 square centimeters, which is larger than that of any other insect in the world. Moreover, its life expectancy is only 5-7 days. People have found a rather practical use for this short-lived beauty - in India, the giant moth is bred to produce silk thread.
20. Rhinoceros cockroach (Macropanesthia rhinoceros) 
Photo: Mark Pellegrini (Raul654)
The giant rhinoceros cockroach (also known as the burrowing cockroach) lives in the rainforests of Queensland, Australia, and is the largest and heaviest cockroach in the world. An adult representative of this species grows up to 8 centimeters in length and can weigh up to 35 grams. The life expectancy of the burrowing cockroach is quite impressive - scientists have found individuals whose age has reached as much as 10 years. You might be surprised, but among amateur entomologists the giant rhinoceros cockroach is quite popular as a... pet.
19. Elephant beetle
Photo: sdbeazley / flickr
This insect prefers the humidity of tropical forests and lowlands of Central and South America (especially Mexico). The elephant beetle (or elephant megasoma) is a large insect that grows up to a length of up to 13 centimeters. Impressive in size, these creatures live only 1-3 months, prefer the night, feed on tree sap and tropical fruits.
18. Phobaeticus chani 
Photo: P.E. Bragg
Phobaeticus chani is a species of insect from the stick insect family, recognized as one of the longest in the world. Its more common name is Chan's stick insect, which this insect received in honor of its researcher Datuk Chen Zhaolun. A giant stick insect was discovered not long ago in the tropical forest of Borneo, where a Chinese naturalist had the opportunity to examine an individual of incredible length - 57 centimeters! The beetle species Phobaeticus chani is still not fully understood because the insect lives on the tallest trees in the rainforest, making it too secretive for observation and research.
17. Queen Alexandra's Birdwing
Photo: Robert Nash
This is amazing beautiful creature was discovered in the rainforests of Oro Province in eastern Papua New Guinea. Another name for this birdwing is also known - the Queen Alexandra Ornithopter, and it is recognized as the largest butterfly in the world. The wingspan of this giant creature reaches 30.5 centimeters, and it feeds mainly on the nectar of tropical flowers.
16. Giant water bug
Photo: Frank Vassen
The giant water bug (Belostomatidae) is also known as the “alligator flea” and is found primarily in freshwater bodies of water, lakes, streams and rivers in North and South America, northern Australia and East Asia. Aquatic bugs are fierce predators, and cases of these bugs have been known to attack not only fish and frogs, but also small snakes and even turtles. Killer bug? It sounds creepy, but another equally predatory insect awaits you ahead. Be patient until point 11 of our top...
15. Giant Atlas Beetle
Photo: JohnSka
The Atlas beetle (Chalcosoma atlas) got its name in honor of the ancient mythical deity who held the vault of heaven on his shoulders. Another name for this beetle is the Caucasian beetle, and representatives of this species are considered one of the largest on Earth. The atlas is widely distributed in Southeast Asia, especially in Malaysia. Male atlas can reach as much as 13 centimeters in length.
14. St. Helena Earwig
Photo: wikimedia
Here is the giant earwig Labidura herculeana, the largest representative of the Leatherwing order, which is also sometimes called the “Dodo of the earwig world” (the Dodo is a giant bird that became extinct in the 17th century AD) or the St. Helena earwig. The 8-centimeter Labidura herculeana is known in history, but last time A living adult specimen of this earwig was seen as early as May 1967, and in 2014 scientists sadly announced that the Dodo of the earwig world had finally become extinct.
13. Goliath beetle
Photo: fir0002
Endemic to tropical Africa, goliath beetles are the largest insects in the world, both as adults and as larvae. These beetles are believed to be the heaviest of all insects on Earth. Their larvae weigh up to 100 grams, and adults reach up to 12 centimeters in length.
12. Longhorned beetles or woodcutters
Photo: Hectonichus
The long-horned beetle in the photo is a giant species of beetle, easily recognized by its beautiful pattern on its back and enlarged jaws. There are other names for this insect - barbel, woodcutter, or scientifically Cerambycidae. The long-horned beetle lives in the tropical forests of South America, and despite its enormous size (more than 17 centimeters in length), this species of insect can even fly.
11. Tarantula Hawk
Photo: wikimedia
The tarantula is a large road wasp or pompilid that preys on tarantulas. The females of this species of insect paralyze the spider with a sting from their sting. On happy hunting These seemingly modest creatures are capable of defeating a tarantula, which is most often 8 times heavier than a road wasp. This difference in weight does not interfere with dragging the killed spider into a hole, where the female lays her larvae directly on the body of the prey. When new tarantulas are born, they initially feed on the tarantulas stored in the burrow.
10. Giant Scolia Wasp
Photo: Didier Descouens
9. Gauromydas heros 
Photo: Biologoandre
Gauromydas heros are the largest flies in the world. This species of dipterous insect grows up to 7 centimeters in length, and its wingspan reaches 10 centimeters, which is quite a lot for a fly. Gauromydas heros lives in southern Brazil and prefers to lay its larvae in anthills. Scientists have not fully studied the lifestyle of this species, but adult males presumably feed on flower nectar, females probably do not, and the larvae of these flies eat the larvae of leaf-cutter ants, in whose colonies they hide.
8. Macrotermes Bellicosus
Photo: ETF89
This termite lives in Africa and Southeast Asia. Macrotermes Bellicosus is the largest known representative of its infraorder. This insect was included in our list due to the fact that its uterus during the egg-laying period reaches approximately 11 centimeters in length. The sizes of other members of the colony are much more modest - worker termites grow up to 3-4 centimeters, and soldiers are not much larger. Macrotermes Bellicosus live by hunting and gathering, and the peak activity of this termite species occurs during the rainy season.
7. Hercules beetle
Photo: Anaxibia
The Hercules beetle (Dynastes hercules) is one of the most big beetles in the world, and it lives mainly in the jungles of South America. Representatives of this genus are considered the largest and most famous of all rhinoceros beetles, close relatives of scarabs. Some males reach 17.5 centimeters, including monocorn length.
6. Thysania agrippina
Photo: Acrocynus
Thysania agrippina is a nocturnal moth, better known by other names including the agrippina cutworm, agrippina cutworm, tysania agrippina, agrippina, night moth, and even the ghost moth. The agrippina cutworm is one of the largest flying insects, and its wingspan reaches almost 30 centimeters. The largest nocturnal one lives in Mexico, Central America and South America, and is also sometimes found in Texas.
5. Stag beetle (Lucanidae)
Photo: Trevor Harris / geograph.org.uk
The stag beetle or stag beetle, also sometimes known as the comb beetle, is an insect that is easily recognized due to its enormous size (about 12 centimeters in length) and impressive mandibles (lower jaws) that resemble tusks or horns. In appearance, the beetle looks very scary, but in fact it feeds on tree sap, and uses its lower jaws only in mating games or during fights with its own relatives. For people, this insect is usually completely harmless.
4. Giant Homoptera Dragonfly
Photo: Steven G. Johnson
The largest dragonfly living on our planet, the giant homoptera dragonfly is also scientifically known as Megaloprepus Caerulatus. The graceful insect is decorated with silver-blue stripes, as well as white and black spots. But don't be fooled by its beauty, this dragonfly is a dangerous predator. True, Megaloprepus Caerulatus poses the greatest threat only to spiders, which the homopterus catches directly from their cozy webs. The giant dragonfly lives in the tropical forests of Central and South America, and the largest wingspan of these insects is a whopping 19 centimeters!
3. Praying Mantis
Photo: Oliver Koemmerling
This insect is almost at the top of its food chain and feeds mainly on other members of its native class, although there is evidence that mantises sometimes attack small reptiles, small mammals and even birds! The largest mantis known to entomologists was discovered in southern China in 1929, and its length was as much as 18 centimeters.
2. Stick insect Zhao
Photo: Joachim Bresseel, Jérôme Constant
In 2014, a new species of insect was discovered in the southern province of Guangxi. It was the Zhao stick insect (Phryganistria Chinensis Zhao), whose dimensions reached as much as 62.4 centimeters. The giant was discovered by Chinese entomologist Zhao Li, and today it is the longest insect in the world. The stick insect was named after a Chinese researcher who hunted this incredible fastmatid for 6 years until he finally managed to catch one of these long-legged beauties.
1. Long-legged mosquitoes of the species Holorusia Brobdignagius
Photo: wikimedia
Long-legged mosquitoes or caramors are insects of the Diptera family of the long-whiskered suborder. Their favorite habitat is forests near fresh water bodies and swamps. Adults feed on plant nectar, while larvae feed on rotting plants. The largest representative of the Karamors, holorusia brobdignagius grows up to 23 centimeters in length if the limbs are extended behind and in front of its body. This size allows us to consider this Chinese centipede the longest of its kind.
Many people are afraid of insects, flying and crawling. But they are not at all dangerous, although they are not entirely attractive in appearance. There are many amazing insects in the world that you didn't even know existed.
In this review you will learn about the most unusual and mysterious creatures of our planet, which are very well adapted to their way of life and many of them are enormous in size.
Huge water bug.
The water bug has long been under threat of extinction. This insect has a very unusual appearance. The water bug somewhat resembles a tiny hedgehog. It lives in Japan and can grow up to 15 centimeters in length.
The huge water bug is considered one of the most biting insects in the world. Everyone knows how bedbugs bite, and in this case the waterbug is no exception. Its bite is very painful. Therefore, it is not recommended to dive where they live.
These insects live in rice fields, feeding on small fish, various crustaceans and amphibians. During the hunt, these insects quickly paralyze their prey because they cannot cope with it due to their tiny size. If a bug senses danger, it skillfully plays dead. This insect is considered an exquisite delicacy in Thailand.
Turtle beetle Aspidomorpha.
One of the most beautiful beetles are Aspidomorpha, popularly called the turtle beetle. They call it that because of the shape of its body, which strongly resembles a turtle. This insect reaches 7–8 millimeters in length.
The beetle has a very bright and beautiful color. The body of the insect is oval, slightly flattened. The beetle not only looks amazing, but also has amazing capabilities. It can change the color of the upper transparent layer, which is called the “shell,” thereby creating optical illusions and merging with the objects surrounding it. This ability helps him hide from predators.
Stick insects.
The next type of insects are stick insects (ghost insects). There are 2,500 species of these amazing insects in the world. Stick insects live in the tropics.
Outwardly, they look like some kind of alien creature. Their body shape allows them to camouflage among various leaves and branches, which they closely resemble. Stick insects can take on almost any shape due to their thin body. One of the most striking species of ghostly insects is the Megastick insect.
It grows up to 57 centimeters in size and was discovered only in two thousand and eight. This species is named after Datuk Chan-Chu-Lun, who was one of the first to study it. The lifestyle of this insect has not yet been completely studied, since the Megastick insect was seen only a few times in the deep jungle.
Winged crocodile (Fulgora laternaria).
The winged crocodile amazes not only people with its appearance, but also predators. It lives on trees and flowers. It is popularly called a crocodile, but its real name is Fulgora laternaria. The lantern grows up to 9 centimeters in length.
This insect was nicknamed crocodile because unusual shape heads. It has false eyes on its wings, which help in camouflage and escape from predators.
STICTOCEPHALA BISONIA.
Stictocephala bisonia has an unusual appearance throughout its life. The larva is pinkish in color and has “spikes” that are located along the body. The larva resembles a very small dinosaur. Adults are angular and irregularly diamond shaped. The limbs have long, light-colored hairs. The dimensions of this species are no more than ten millimeters.
The millions of species of insects that live on earth today play a vital role in our planet's ecosystem. Although most of them are safe, some can cause a lot of trouble for a person, and some can be poisonous and even deadly. From familiar ants and flies to more exotic beetles, here's a list of the 25 most dangerous insects in the world.
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1. Termites
Termites do not pose a direct danger to humans; they play an important role for environment Moreover, in some cultures they are even eaten. But at the same time, baby termites can cause enormous damage to infrastructure, sometimes making houses completely uninhabitable.
2. Lice
3. Black-legged tick
Each year, the black-legged tick infects thousands of people with Lyme disease, which begins with a rash around the bite that resembles a bull's eye. Early symptoms of this disease include headache and fever. As the disease progresses, the victim begins to suffer from problems with the cardiovascular system. Few people die from these bites, but the effects can last for years after an unpleasant tick encounter.
4. Nomadic ants
The first creature on our list that is dangerous in the literal sense of the word is stray ants, known for their predatory aggression. Unlike other ant species, roving ants do not build their own permanent anthills. Instead, they create colonies that migrate from one place to another. These predators constantly move throughout the day, hunting insects and small vertebrates. In fact, the entire combined colony can kill more than half a million insects and small animals in one day.
5. Wasp
Most wasps pose little direct danger, but certain varieties, such as the German wasp of North America, reach large sizes and can be incredibly aggressive. If they sense danger or notice an invasion of their territory, they can sting repeatedly and very painfully. They will mark their aggressors and in some cases chase them.
6. Black Widow
Although the sting of a female black widow spider can be very dangerous to humans due to the neurotoxins released during the bite, if necessary medical attention is provided promptly, the consequences of the bite will be limited to only some pain. Unfortunately, isolated cases of death from a black widow bite still occurred.
7. Hairy Caterpillar Coquette Moth
Megalopyge opercularis moth caterpillars look cute and furry, but don't be fooled by their cartoonish appearance: they are extremely poisonous.
Usually people believe that it is the hairs themselves that sting, but in reality the poison is released through the spines hidden in this “fur”. The spines are extremely brittle and remain in the skin after touching. The poison causes a burning sensation around the affected area, headache, dizziness, vomiting, sharp abdominal pain, damage to the lymph nodes and sometimes respiratory arrest.
8. Cockroaches
The cockroach is known as a carrier of many diseases dangerous to humans. Main danger life together with cockroaches is that they get into toilets, garbage cans and other places where bacteria accumulate, and as a result, they are their carriers. Cockroaches can cause many diseases: from worms and dysentery to tuberculosis and typhoid. Cockroaches can carry fungi, single-celled organisms, bacteria and viruses. And here's a fun fact - they can live for months without food or water.
10. Bed bugs
A person does not directly feel the bite itself, since the bedbug’s saliva contains an anesthetic substance. If the bug is unable to get to the blood capillary the first time, it can bite a person several times. Severe itching begins at the site of the bug bite, and a blister may also appear. Occasionally, people experience a severe allergic reaction to a bug bite. Fortunately, 70 percent of people experience little to no effects from them.
Bedbugs are household insects and do not belong to the group of vectors infectious diseases, however, in their body they can retain pathogens that transmit infections through the blood for a long time, for example, viral hepatitis B; pathogens of plague, tularemia, and Q-fever can also persist. They cause the greatest harm to people with their bites, depriving a person of normal rest and sleep, which can subsequently negatively affect moral health and performance.
11. Human gadfly
12. Centipede
The centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata) is an insect also called the flycatcher, which supposedly appeared in the Mediterranean. Although other sources talk about Mexico. The centipede has become very common throughout the world. Although the appearance of such insects is unattractive, they generally perform useful work, as they eat other insect pests and even spiders. True, with entomophobia (fear of insects) such an argument will not help. People usually kill them because of their unpleasant appearance, although in some southern countries centipedes are even protected.
The flycatcher is a predator; they inject poison into the prey and then kill it. Flycatchers often settle in apartments without causing damage to food or furniture. They love moisture; centipedes can often be found in basements, under bathtubs, and in toilets. Flycatchers live from 3 to 7 years; newborns have only 4 pairs of legs, increasing them by one with each new molt.
Typically, a bite from such an insect is not alarming to humans, although it may be comparable to a minor bee sting. For some it may even be painful, but usually it is limited to tears. Of course, centipedes are not the insects that are responsible for thousands of deaths, but many of us would be surprised to learn that someone dies from these bites every year. The fact is that an allergic reaction to insect venom is possible, but this still happens extremely rarely.
Even though scorpions do not belong to insects, since they belong to the order of arthropods from the class of arachnids, we still included them in this list, especially since black scorpions are the most dangerous species Scorpios. Most of them live in South Africa, and are especially common in desert areas. Black scorpions are distinguished from other species by their thick tails and thin legs. Black scorpions sting by injecting their victim with venom, which can cause pain, paralysis and even death.
Paraponera clavata is a species of large tropical ants from the genus Paraponera Smith and the subfamily Paraponerinae (Formicidae), which have a strong sting. This ant is called a bullet because victims of its bite compare it to being shot from a pistol.
A person bitten by such an ant may feel throbbing and constant pain for 24 hours after the bite. Some local Indian tribes (Satere-Mawe, Maue, Brazil) use these ants in very painful initiation rites for boys. adult life(which leads to temporary paralysis and even blackening of the stung fingers). During the study of the chemical composition of the poison, a paralyzing neurotoxin (peptide), called poneratoxin, was isolated from it.
Also known as Phoneutria, Brazilian wandering spiders are venomous creatures that live in tropical South America and Central America. In the 2010 Guinness Book of Records, this type of spider was named the most poisonous spider in the world.
The venom of this genus of spiders contains a powerful neurotoxin known as PhTx3. In lethal concentrations, this neurotoxin causes loss of muscle control and breathing problems, leading to paralysis and eventual suffocation. The bite is of average pain, the venom causes immediate infection of the lymphatic system, entering the bloodstream in 85% of cases leads to heart failure. Patients feel wild rigor during life; in men, priapism sometimes occurs. There is an antidote that is used on par with antibiotics, but due to the severity of the damage to the body from the poison, the detoxification procedure is effectively equal to the victim's chance of survival.
African bees (also known as killer bees) are descendants of bees brought from Africa to Brazil in the 1950s in an attempt to improve that country's honey production. Some African queens have begun to interbreed with native European bees. The resulting hybrids moved north and are still found in Southern California.
African bees look the same and in most cases behave similarly to the European bees that currently live in the United States. They can only be detected by DNA analysis. Their stings are also no different from the sting of an ordinary bee. One very important difference between the two species is the defensive behavior of African bees, which is exhibited when defending their nest. In some attacks in South America, African bees have killed livestock and people. This behavior has earned AMPs the nickname “killer bees.”
Additionally, this type of bee is known for behaving like an invader. Swarms of them attack the hives of the common honey bee, invading them and installing their queen. They attack in large colonies and are ready to destroy anyone who encroaches on their queen.
Although not generally perceived as dangerous, fleas transmit numerous diseases between animals and people. Throughout history, they have contributed to the spread of many diseases, such as the bubonic plague.
Fire ants are several related ants from the Solenopsis saevissima species-group of the genus Solenopsis, which have a strong sting and poison, the effect of which is similar to a burn from a flame (hence their name). More commonly, this name refers to the invasive red fire ant, which has spread throughout the world. There are known cases of a person being stung by one ant with serious consequences, anaphylactic shock, even death.
The second spider on our list, the brown recluse, does not release neurotoxins like the black widow. Its bite destroys tissue and can cause damage that can take months to heal.
The bite very often goes unnoticed, but in most cases the sensations are similar to those of a needle prick. Then within 2-8 hours the pain makes itself felt. Further, the situation develops depending on the amount of poison that enters the blood. The venom of the brown recluse spider has a hemolytic effect, which means it causes necrosis and tissue destruction. The bite can be fatal for small children, elderly and sick people.
Siafu (Dorylus) - these nomadic ants mainly live in Eastern and Central Africa, but are also found in tropical Asia. The insects live in colonies that can number up to 20 million individuals, all of them blind. They make their journeys with the help of pheromones. The colony has no permanent place residence, wandering from place to place. While moving to feed the larvae, insects attack all invertebrate animals.
Among such ants there is a special group - soldiers. They are the ones who can sting, for which they use their hook-shaped jaws, and the size of such individuals reaches 13 mm. Soldiers' jaws are so strong that in some places in Africa they are even used to secure stitches. The wound may remain closed for as long as 4 days. Usually, after a Siafu bite, the consequences are minimal; you don’t even need to call a doctor. True, it is believed that young and elderly people are especially sensitive to the bites of such ants, and deaths from complications after contact have been observed. As a result, every year, according to statistics, from 20 to 50 people die from these insects. This is facilitated by their aggressiveness, especially when defending their colony, which a person can accidentally attack.
Many of us have seen bumblebees - they seem quite small, and there is no particular reason to be afraid of them. Now imagine a bumblebee that grew up as if on steroids, or just look at the Asian giant. These hornets are the largest in the world - their length can reach 5 cm, and their wingspan is 7.5 centimeters. The length of the sting of such insects can be up to 6 mm, but neither a bee nor a wasp can compare with such a bite; bumblebees can also sting repeatedly. Such dangerous insects cannot be found in Europe or the USA, but when traveling through East Asia and the mountains of Japan, you can encounter them. To understand the consequences of a bite, it is enough to listen to eyewitnesses. They compare the sensation of a bumblebee sting to a hot nail driven into the leg.
The sting venom has 8 different compounds that cause discomfort and damage soft fabrics and creating a scent that can attract more bumblebees to the prey. People who are allergic to bees can die from a reaction, but there have been cases of death due to the mandorotoxin venom, which can be dangerous if it gets deep enough into the body. It is believed that about 70 people die from such bites every year. It is curious, but the sting is not the main hunting weapon of bumblebees - they crush their enemies with their large jaws.
The tsetse fly lives in tropical and subtropical Africa, having chosen the Kalahari and Sahara deserts. Flies are carriers of trypanosomiasis, which causes sleeping sickness in animals and humans. Tsetse are anatomically very similar to their common relatives - they can be distinguished by the proboscis on the front of the head and the special manner in which the wings are folded. It is the proboscis that allows them to obtain the main food - the blood of wild mammals in Africa. On this continent there are 21 species of such flies, which can reach from 9 to 14 mm in length.
You should not consider flies so harmless to humans, because they actually kill people, doing this quite often. It is believed that in Africa, up to 500 thousand people are infected with sleeping sickness, transmitted by this insect. The disease disrupts the activity of the endocrine and cardiac systems. Then gets amazed nervous system, causing confusion and sleep disturbance. Attacks of fatigue give way to hyperactivity.
The last major epidemic was recorded in Uganda in 2008; in general, the disease is on the WHO list of forgotten ones. However, in Uganda alone, 200 thousand people have died from sleeping sickness over the past 6 years. The disease is believed to be largely responsible for the deteriorating economic situation in Africa. It is curious that flies attack any warm object, even a car, but they do not attack a zebra, considering it just a flash of stripes. Tsetse flies also saved Africa from soil erosion and overgrazing caused by cattle.
Man came up with different methods to combat these insects. In the 30s on west coast destroyed all wild pigs, but this gave results only for 20 years. Now they are fighting by shooting wild animals, cutting down bushes and treating male flies with radiation in order to deprive them of the opportunity to reproduce.
