BEWARE with the little masters of pain!!!

I came across with a very interesting article about the researchers of the entomologist Justin Orville Schmidt, co-author of the book Insect Defenses: Adaptive Mechanisms and Strategies of Prey and Predators and creator of the Schmidt Sting Pain Index, which is a scale rating the relative pain caused by different Hymenopteran stings. The oddity about his work is that Schmidt irritates the animals and offers his own body of free willing, to be stung. Then he analyzes the sensations and symptoms and constructs his ranking of venomous bites. Well, you can call him nuts but he got lots of guts if indeed he left himself being stung by these bugs below (WARNING: Some strong graphics)

THE SCALE RATING:

Fire Ant

Pain Scale Rating: 1.2

Duration of pain: 2-5 minutes

How the sting feels: Sharp, sudden, mildly alarming. Like walking across a shag carpet & reaching for the light switch.

Occupied areas: United States, Australia, the Philippines, Doggie Island and Taiwan.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/9561b80038a7.jpg[/atsimg]
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/43fcc65b019e.jpg[/atsimg]
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/7dc08f7215f5.jpg[/atsimg]
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/568a8670b4e8.jpg[/atsimg]
The arm above doesn't belong to Schmidt.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/38c8c5b6eac9.gif[/atsimg]
Above a map of the US areas invaded by migrating Fire Ants.

Bullhorn Acacia Ant

Pain Scale Rating: 1.8

Duration of pain: 4-6 minutes

How the sting feels: A rare, piercing, elevated sort of pain. Someone has fired a staple into your cheek.

Occupied areas: Central America.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/e9d4c88374f1.jpg[/atsimg]
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Bald Faced Hornet

Pain Scale Rating: 2.0

Duration of pain: 3-4 minutes

How the sting feels: Rich, hearty, slightly crunchy. Similar to getting your hand mashed in a revolving door.

Occupied areas: North America, including southern Canada, the Rocky Mountains, the western coast of the United States,

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/e8ddd1edfa16.jpg[/atsimg]

Yellow Jacket Wasp

Pain Scale Rating: 2.0

Duration of pain: 4-10 minutes

How the sting feels: Hot and smoky, almost irreverent. Imagine W. C. Fields extinguishing a cigar on your tongue.

Occupied areas: Originally native from Europe, but are now established in North America, southern Africa, New Zealand, and eastern Australia.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/1d76900f47b9.jpg[/atsimg]
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/76967eaae011.jpg[/atsimg]
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/a3ff98d1fae6.jpg[/atsimg]
The leg above, attacked by a Yellow Jacket, doesn't belong to Schmidt.

Apis Cerana "Honey Bee"

Pain Scale Rating: 2.0

Duration of pain: 4-10 minutes

How the sting feels: Like a matchhead that flips off and burns on your skin.

Occupied areas: As a domesticated species, it's spread all over the world.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/926bf2dbe3d8.jpg[/atsimg]

Red Harvester Ant

Pain Scale Rating: 3.0

Duration of pain: 1-8 hours

How the sting feels: Bold and unrelenting. Somebody is using a drill to excavate your ingrown toenail.

Occupied areas: Southwest United States.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/2e64555ae2e4.jpg[/atsimg]
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/1bfd1e330e85.jpg[/atsimg]

European Paper Wasp

Pain Scale Rating: 3.0

Duration of pain: 5-15 minutes

How the sting feels: Caustic & burning. Distinctly bitter aftertaste. Like spilling a beaker of hydrochloric acid on a paper cut.

Occupied areas: Besides Europe, is seen in Trinidad & Tobago and North-America.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/dc1dd0a80f1f.jpg[/atsimg]

Tarantula Hawk Wasp

Pain Scale Rating: 4.0

Duration of pain: 3 minutes

How the sting feels: Blinding, fierce, shockingly electric. A running hair drier has been dropped into your bubble bath.

Occupied areas: Worldwide distribution of tarantulas includes areas from India to Southeast Asia, Africa, Australia, and the Americas, where these predatory wasps are also likely to be found. Tarantula hawk species have been observed from as far north as Livermore, California, in the United States, and south as far as Argentina in South America, with at least 250 species living in South America.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/e052fbe6cff4.jpg[/atsimg]
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/d5102b67ea8e.jpg[/atsimg]
That's Schmidt handing a Tarantula Hawk wasp.

Bullet Ant

Pain Scale Rating: 4.0+

Duration of pain: 12-24 hours

How the sting feels: Pure, intense, brilliant pain. Like fire-walking over flaming charcoal with a 3-inch rusty nail in your heel. This species take this name 'cos its sting hurts like a bullet shot.

Occupied areas: Humid lowland rainforests from Nicaragua and south of Paraguay.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/5e8478e46bd1.jpg[/atsimg]
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The image above was presented as a Bullet Ant open wound, but I couldn't verify if indeed it is.

**Another insect that has been added in Schmidt rank, is the Apis Dorsata "Indian Rock Bee", but it seems that so far none information about the effects of its sting, were provided by him. However I have some details about this species:

The Apis Dorsata is huge and highly aggressive, having never been domesticated. They have five eyes. Three small at the top of the head and two compound eyes, larger in front. A bee produces five grams of honey per year to produce one pound of honey, bees must visit 5 million flowers. Originally from India, this species is seen in Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Myanmar, Laos, and southern China.

Gump World

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[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/50a62e9e2bc4.jpg[/atsimg]

More info

Well, if you live in some of that areas mentioned as geographical distribution of these animals, BEWARE of them. However people from ANY area should be alert 'cos Earth's environment is totally unbalanced and nothing prevents these species migrating to unusual areas. I live in South America and I've observed very aggressive weird giant bees I've never seen before...

[edit on 5-4-2010 by ucalien]

When I lived in Guyana, South America my younger brother threw a half brick at a hornets’ nest when we lived in Georgetown.

I do not know the correct name for them but in Guyana they call them Marabunta and they are huge, elegantly vicious looking brown insects and you hear them coming before you see them. Anyway even before this half brick had left my brothers hand I was already running and he got stung once on the forearm for his troubles.

The swelling caused by that Marabunta’s sting was big enough that it could be felt between the bones of his forearm and he quickly developed a feaver and was quite ill for a couple of days... He never did that again (the young fool).

Respect life because it might look innocuous but then again rile it enough and it might just be capable of taking off your hand.

Insects rock, thank you for posting those pictures

reply to post by SmokeJaguar67

I do not know the correct name for them but in Guyana they call them Marabunta and they are huge, elegantly vicious looking brown insects and you hear them coming before you see them.

When I was a kid the street I lived had many Almond trees and they were like motels to huge black wasps... In South America they are called "Marimbondos", actually. I got stung by one of this insects, once... That hurts like fire.

reply to post by ucalien


Mmmm, Marimbondos does seem correct now you mention it but we were newbie westerners so a mispronunciation is not too bad as I was pretty close but at the same time Marabunta seems as I remember it too? :scratchhead:

Perhaps it is a dialect thing and they are called similar names in different parts as I am quite certain the Guyanese call them Marabunta but it was 1976 or thereabouts so I am probably wrong – it would not be the first time so I will take your word for it.

In any case I can imagine it would hurt like hell to have one of those things take a real dislike because whenever I think back to those creatures I always imagine that is what a wasp would look like after a diet of steroids. My brother was certainly making some weird sounds and dancing around like a clown after he got stung and I was inspired never to get stung myself just from looking at the expression of abject agony on his face.

Even the thought of one of those things landing on me is enough to make my toes curl today lol

A couple of years ago, I was out in the woods behind my house and as I was walking and just about to put my foot down, I heard the buzzing. The next thing I knew, I was being chased through the woods by a swarm of yellow jackets. I pulled my shirt up over my head, which severely limited my vision, but somehow, I managed to jump a fence and run back to my house. That swarm followed me abt. 200 ft and I got stung several times.

The very next year, I had a huge hornets nest hanging from the tree right next to my pool. We got stung several times over the summer.

I don't mind the honeybees, but now I have a fear of yellowjackets. hornets, wasps, etc. now.

reply to post by SmokeJaguar67

Perhaps it is a dialect thing and they are called similar names in different parts as I am quite certain the Guyanese call them Marabunta but it was 1976 or thereabouts so I am probably wrong – it would not be the first time so I will take your word for it.

If ain't wrong, the Guyanas were colonized by Dutch and French expeditions, so it may explain the different accent... However, South America has many weird and very dangerous bugs, specially in the jungles.

reply to post by virraszto

When I was 15, a neighborhood buddy put a torch in a huge nest of pellet hornets, that was hanging in his house's balcony. The nest fell to the ground, crashed and the hornets got formed a cloud and attacked us. My body was expelling stings for a month.

reply to post by ucalien


I have only one fear in all the world...yes its wasps....
en.wikipedia.org...

I wanted to add a link for you, its almost spring and these things although usually solitare wasps...will, be in heavey congrigations, during cicaida, larvae...hatching...they sound like lil-huey...helos....put the fear of god in me..

reply to post by Doc Holiday


Ah Doc, you;ve done it again. I had the ill fortune to have a cicada killer nail me right in the middle of my spine as I got into my car. Very painful indeed! I've had hordes of yellowjackets sting me but they hurt nothing like a hornet or cicada killer.
Little hint if you get stung (by any insect) : get a leaf of plantain (any species of plantain will work), it;s a common yard weed that grows everywhere, chew it lightly and hold on the sting. works like a charm.
It even worked on a saddleback caterpilllar sting which was the most painful sting ever, funny there was no mention of caterpillars in the article.

[edit on 5-4-2010 by Asktheanimals]

Originally posted by Doc Holiday
reply to post by ucalien

 

I have only one fear in all the world...yes its wasps....
en.wikipedia.org...

I wanted to add a link for you, its almost spring and these things although usually solitare wasps...will, be in heavey congrigations, during cicaida, larvae...hatching...they sound like lil-huey...helos....put the fear of god in me..

Yes, wasps are the devil! I don't mind honey bees, but pretty well anything else scares the living crap out of me.

I'm not scared of spiders... at all... I'm not scared of snakes... at all... In fact I'm not really scared of much of anything, but if a wasp, hornet, bumble bee, or whatever comes within 10 feet of me, prepare to see me scream like a girl.

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On a Side Note: I actually have an interesting bite story that would probably be on topic in this thread.

Who here knows what a Sunburst baboon is (Usambara Baboon)?

Here is an image if you don't...

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/44d8daa50d00.jpg[/atsimg]

Yes I know they are beautiful...... Don't let that fool you.

This is an African spider that is widely sought after by tarantula enthusiasts. They are psychopathic... I mean crazy as you can possibly imagine. They are very fast, and very poisonous.

With that said. I had a friend that owned one. It never came out of the cage, that is until he broke the front of it. Well out comes the spider like a bat out of hell, and there we where scrambling to catch it.

Now there is something you must understand when you are dealing with this particular species, it is not you that tries to catch the spider, it's the spider that tries to catch you. These things move like a flash of lightning, and are relentless in their pursuit. So we finally get this thing in a one of those plastic bug cages, but before we seal the container, it ends up on my hand.

Pain Rating: 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.1

Duration: About 16 hours

Description of the Pain: Like someone just lit a blowtorch and proceeded to scorch your entire arm. The more stiff you get the more it burns. For hours you feel like you would rather saw your arm off than deal with the excruciating pain. It literally makes you long for death. Easily the most painful thing (that includes broken bones) that I have ever experienced.

Guaranteed that an Usamabara bite literally puts everything else here to shame 10 fold.

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To help you know what I was dealing with here..



See... Like a bolt of lightning..



Not to be screwed with.. Yes it is attacking light.


[edit on 6-4-2010 by DaMod]

I've heard those Japanese Giant Hornets are particularly nasty. I remember seeing a show where 30 of them killed 30,000 honeybees in an attack on their hive.

Wiki Article on Asian Giant Hornets

I got done twice in the back of the neck by a couple of paper wasps last summer. Not pleasant at all to be honest.

DaMod, nice one, I think you've just given me nightmares with that story

Infact, this whole thread is one shudder to the next!

reply to post by Acidtastic


You don't know the half of it.

2nd line of doom.

Originally posted by Necrosis
I've heard those Japanese Giant Hornets are particularly nasty. I remember seeing a show where 30 of them killed 30,000 honeybees in an attack on their hive.

Wiki Article on Asian Giant Hornets

You mean this show?



Yeah Hornets are the ultimate bastards of the animal kingdom.

We've got cow ants here now, and they're on a par with hornets.

I've never been bothered that badly by yellow jackets, though, not nearly as painful as a red wasp.