What is the most poisonous insect in the world? Poisonous insects of Russia The most dangerous mosquito in the world

After microorganisms and plankton, insects are the most numerous representatives of life on Earth. Most of them are completely harmless, funny in appearance, but there are those who meet with no good. Many types of insects cause a real phobia in some, because their appearance is not only unattractive, but even repulsive. However, the TOP 10 most dangerous insects in the world did not necessarily have to include the most terrible-looking “monsters”, sometimes a harmless bug, ant or caterpillar that looks quite attractive can threaten human health and even his life much more.

2. Red fire ants

Scientists have classified red fire ants as one of the most dangerous and aggressive types of biting insects. Their coloration is reddish-brown, and the bite of the victim resembles a burning sensation of fire, hence the word "fiery" in the name. The size of these ants is small - 2-6 mm. The historical range of these insects was located in the central part of South America, but a person accidentally carried them around different places the world where they have established themselves. For a person suffering from allergies, the strong poison and powerful sting of the red fire ant is a serious danger. At the site of the bite, a person has a feeling of exposure to an open flame, which only intensifies over time. An attack follows in case the termites feel a threat to their anthill. Then a whole group of ants starts an attack and mercilessly stings the victim. Every year about 30 people die from their bites.

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3. Lonomy

Among the slow and seemingly indifferent caterpillars there are also dangerous creatures. The caterpillar of the small nocturnal moth, Lonomia, lives in the rainforests of South America and is nicknamed "the lazy clown" by the locals. This hairy caterpillar is remarkably camouflaged among the greenery, so you can accidentally suffer from contact with it. The caterpillar has a very attractive appearance- bright, beautiful, covered on all sides with long villi. But they also contain the strongest toxin, which is so strong that the affected person's blood clotting is very quickly disturbed, the kidneys fail, hemorrhage in the brain and other organs can occur. Red blood cells begin to break down, multiple organ hemorrhage occurs. Outwardly, this is expressed in the appearance of large bruises on the skin.
If a person manages to “stroke” several of these caterpillars at once, then he will almost certainly die - a massive cerebral hemorrhage will quickly begin, which will lead to a stroke and death of the victim. Unfortunately, Lonomia caterpillars often appear in orchards, where Brazilian farmers accidentally stumble upon them. As a result, 10-30 people die a year, and many more remain disabled.

4 Giant Hornet

Giant hornets live in many places in Asia: in China, India, Nepal, Korea, Japan, and even in our Primorsky Territory, such individuals were noticed. The length of these giants can exceed 5 centimeters, they have very powerful jaws and an impressive length (6 mm) sting, with which they easily pierce human skin. Such an aggressive predator attacks for no particular reason, and it is very difficult to fight him off without outside help. Attacking, the hornet repeatedly uses its sting, injecting a new portion of poison with each prick. He acts very painfully, while also destroying muscle tissue. One Japanese entomologist who was attacked by such a hornet described its bite as the impact of a red-hot nail. Every year, 30-70 people die from the bites of a giant hornet.

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5 Army Ants

There are a huge number of ant species in the world, and many of them are very dangerous. These include army soldier ants, which are a specialized caste of worker ants and termites. Lack of vision only makes them more dangerous, for they attack everything that has flesh and blood - a fly, an elephant or a person. These fighters move in colonies, and they don’t build anthills, so getting caught in their way will not seem enough. This species of ants big body reaching 3 centimeters. They are armed with powerful long mandibles, which easily open the flesh. Having made a hole, the ants climb into the wound and continue to destroy the tissues, which causes incredible pain to the victim. They were even figuratively called "living death." A colony of such ants would be able to gnaw an elephant in a week, and there will be a lot of a day for a person.

6 Africanized Killer Bee

The main danger of these bees is their aggressiveness and desire to capture new territories. If ordinary bees do not attack without a threat to the hive, then a mixture of African bees with other bees attacks everything that moves nearby. They do it in swarms, and the poison of each individual is not weaker than that of a snake. One such killer bee great harm will not bring, but if it is a swarm, then the victim will begin a strong allergic reaction, quickly developing into anaphylactic shock, which most often ends in death. It is difficult to distinguish a human-bred bee from an ordinary honey bee. Their danger lies in their high ability to assimilate to new conditions, therefore, having appeared in Brazil, they gradually spread throughout America, and then headed east, destroying other species of bees.

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7. Tsetse fly

This African fly also belongs to the most dangerous insects in the world, because it is able to transmit to humans when bitten by the causative agent of sleeping sickness. This disease has been known for a long time, but doctors have not found reliable way deal with her. As the disease progresses, a person experiences significant impairment in work nervous system, drowsiness is observed, consciousness becomes confused. In the most severe cases, coma and subsequent death can occur. According to statistics, about half a million people south of the Sahara have already been infected with this disease, and most of them face an agonizing long death.

8 Bullet Ant

Another most dangerous representative of ants from South and Central America, which arranges its nests on the basis of trees, in the crowns of which these ants forage, and, if necessary, dive on victims. Bullet ants have a very strong toxin (stronger than any bee or wasp). They inject it with a powerful sting up to 3.5 mm long. A terrible pain from a bite, resembling pain from a gunshot wound, a person experiences throughout the day, so these insects are also called "ants-24 hours". During this time, a person experiences severe torment and severe convulsions. A number of Indian tribes living in tropical forests have preserved the rite of initiation for boys, in which a special mitten is put on their hand for 10 minutes, where bullet ants are fixed there. Feelings are about the same as if a person put his hand into a pile of hot coals. After that, for some time, the initiate is paralyzed, and the bitten limb turns black.

9. Triatomine bugs

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Many insects are pretty cute and harmless creatures. For example, butterflies or ladybugs. We often try not to notice others until they begin to get in the way or buzz under our ears. But some insects can scare anyone to horror or even cause mortal harm.

These creatures are able to inflict terrible pain on their victims, because their bite is poisonous enough for this. Suffering can last for hours or even weeks. And the bites certain types lethal even to humans. Here is a list of 10 insects that you should never meet!

10. Caterpillar of the genus Lonomia (Lonomia obliqua)

Photo: Centro de Informacoes Toxicologicas de Santa Catarina

This creepy caterpillar lives in South America, and every year at least a few people die from its poison there. As you can see in the photo, the lonomia body is covered with small, sharp bristles that release a powerful toxin, which can cause extremely unpleasant consequences if it gets under the skin of the victim. The tiny creature was even nicknamed the "killer caterpillar", but in fact it is just a larva of the moth Lonomia oblique.

The venom of this caterpillar can cause gangrene-like symptoms all over the body, provoke brain hemorrhage, and can even lead to death. The strongest anticoagulant (obstruction of blood clotting) properties of the toxin cause large-scale internal bleeding, which ultimately leads to the most deplorable consequences. Almost 500 confirmed cases of death from thorns of this caterpillar are known.

9. Tropical ants of the species Paraponera clavata

The most painful insect bite in the world belongs to this inconspicuous creature. Paraponera clavata or sometimes the bullet ant is also the largest ant in the world with the most poisonous sting. The worker ant of this species grows to about 2.5 centimeters in length and resembles a wingless wasp. The queen ant usually reaches the same size. These insects have thick reddish-brown bristles and are much "fluffier" than their other relatives. A dangerous species found in Central and South America.

The bullet ant gets its eloquent nickname because its bite feels like a real bullet wound. The venomous sting causes severe suffering to the victim, and this unbearable pain will last for almost a day. On the Schmidt Sting Pain Index scale, the bite of a bullet ant corresponds to the fourth (highest) level of pain. This insect is much more insidious not only than the wasps and bees familiar to us, but also than the red American reaper ant of the genus Pogonomyrmex, paper wasps of the subfamily Polistinae, and even pompilides (wasps that hunt tarantulas).

8 Giant Centipede


Photo: Katka Nemcokova

These creatures grow up to 35 centimeters in length! Giant centipedes are probably the largest centipedes in the world. The insect is widespread in South America and the Caribbean. The body of this creature consists of 21-23 distinct red or brown segments, each with its own pair of bright yellow legs.

The giant centipede is very aggressive and irritable, and during the fight it clings to the enemy with all its legs. In addition, the insect is also quite poisonous. The centipede toxin is so strong that it can kill most of the small animals she meets in her life. For humans, this poison is most often not fatal. However, this does not mean that its toxin will not cause you any harm at all. Symptoms of giant centipede poisoning usually include severe pain, swelling, chills, fever, and general lethargy. In addition, the action of the poison can be fatal even for a person if he develops individual allergic reactions to this substance.

7. Tsetse fly


Photo: britannica.com

Like mosquitoes, these flies love to drink the blood of mammals. True, the tsetse fly does this much more unpleasantly for its prey than almost any mosquito. On the proboscis of the insect there are tiny teeth that literally dig into the skin of the beast with a death grip. These insidious insects are carriers of dangerous diseases, and some of these infections can lead to an ailment known as sleeping sickness (or African trypanosomiasis). If the bitten person does not receive timely treatment, he will most likely die.

The first symptoms of sleeping sickness are usually fever, itching, headache, and muscle pain. As the ailment progresses, the infected begin to experience extreme fatigue and confusion. This is followed by numbness, impaired coordination and sleep disturbance.

There are approximately 20 or 30 species of tsetse flies in the world, and most of them live in Africa. blood-sucking insect usually grows to 6-16 millimeters in length, and can be distinguished by an oblong proboscis, yellow and brown chitin and according to the method of folding the wings - one on top of the other.

Tsetse flies prefer wooded areas and are most active in the morning. Most attacks on humans are carried out by males. Females usually prefer to stick to larger animals.

6. Human skin gadfly of the species Dermatobia hominis


Photo: entnemdept.ufl.edu

The gadfly of this species is very similar to the bee, but it has more fine hairs and fewer coarse bristles. Usually, Dermatobia hominis gadflies attack only livestock, deer and people. Females plant their larvae on simple mosquitoes, other flies and insects, which in turn pass them on to the future carrier. The eggs react to the host's body heat and the hatched larvae penetrate the victim's skin. By the way, it is these flies that are to blame for the extinction of cattle in the tropical regions of Central America.

The gadfly larva Dermatobia hominis causes unpleasant skin abscesses. Sometimes while showering or just touching, an infected person can even feel the larvae moving under their skin. Horror!

5. Killer bee or Africanized bee


Photo: pestworld.org

The killer bee resembles an ordinary honey bee so much that only employees of specialized laboratories can recognize the difference. The venom of an Africanized bee is no stronger than that of a common bee. However, killer bees differ in that the representatives of this are much more aggressive than their relatives and attack the enemy in a large swarm, which makes them much more dangerous for humans.

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If you are attacked by a swarm of killer bees, the best thing you can do is to zigzag and quickly find shelter from overexcited insects. Never jump into the water to hide from these bees, because they just won't leave anyway. The insidious creatures will be waiting until you get back to dry land, so all you have to do is get your stuff wet, cool off, and stretch the chase even further.

4. Dorilins (Dorylus)


Photo: britannica.com

Dorylina ants gather in colonies, the number of which sometimes reaches up to 22 million individuals! However, these insects do not tend to build long-term anthills, instead they are constantly migrating and finding a new nest every day. These creatures kill any other insects that come their way. That is why they are always on the move and practically do not experience any problems with food on the way. A dangerous species found mainly in African forests.

Dorilyn attack anyone who gets in their way, including snakes, birds, mammals, and even humans. The main weapon of these ants is their powerful and sharp jaws, and they are also quite smart hunters, because dorilins often climb higher into trees and shrubs in order to better examine their prey.

The predatory insect is a rather large representative of its family and sometimes grows up to 2.5 centimeters in length. These ants do not bite their victims very often. Instead of biting, they prefer to tear their prey apart with their powerful mandibles (mouth fixtures that function as jaws). Alone, dorylin poses almost no danger, but when Dorylus ants unite in colonies of many millions, they become an unstoppable army.

3. Giant Asian killer hornet or Vespa mandarinia

The giant Asian killer hornet is the largest hornet in the world. These insects live in East Asia and are most commonly found in the mountains of Japan. Killer hornets are known for their extremely aggressive nature and fearlessness.

Vespa mandarinia feeds its young with honey bee larvae and in the process destroys entire hives of unfortunate victims. These hornets have very strong and mobile mandibles, which allows them to kill ordinary bees right in their nests. One giant Asian hornet is capable of tearing apart about 40 bees in just 60 seconds.

The sting of the killer hornet grows up to 6 millimeters in length, and this is enough to hit a person with a rather dangerous poison. In 2013, more than 40 people died from the sting of these hornets, and more than 1600 local residents sought medical help. Repeated attacks by killer hornets even forced the authorities to mobilize a special medical team with trained personnel who know exactly how to help stung people. The giant Asian hornets themselves have already been taken up by fire teams.

2. Caterpillar of the species Megalopyge opercularis


Photo: National Geographic

This fluffy caterpillar looks very unusual and looks more like a lock of hair from a distance. The creature seems cute and just begs to be touched on its fluffy back, but this is exactly what you should not do. It turns out that Megalopyge opercularis is the most poisonous caterpillar in all of America, and its toxin can cause incredible pain.

The bite of this cute baby can cause throbbing pain, burning, rash, swelling, vomiting, abdominal pain, headache, and even shock. To get rid of unpleasant symptoms, it is urgent to clean the skin of caterpillar hairs (adhesive tape to help), wash the affected area with soap and apply a cold compress.

The fur of the caterpillar looks very soft, but in fact it is poisonous needles that can pierce human skin. Caterpillars of Megalopyge opercularis are teardrop shaped and are most commonly yellow, gray, or reddish brown.

The dangerous creature is found mainly in Florida, but it has also been seen in the New Jersey and Texas area. If you happen to visit the USA, don't let these cute furries fool you and never try to pet them.

1. Ants of the species Pogonomyrmex maricopa


Photo: chandlerpestcontrol.net

Meet the most poisonous insect in the world! The Pogonomyrmex Maricopa reaper ant toxin contains various amino acids, peptides, proteins, polysaccharides, alkaloids and other substances that together are a deadly cocktail. When an ant attacks its prey, it digs into it with its mandibles and stings it until it faints.

Pogonomyrmex Maricopa ant toxin is 12 times stronger than honey bee venom. To kill an ordinary rat, this insect only needs to sting it 12 times. Lethal dose for a person is approximately 350 such injections. Such a number may sound like an unrealistic scenario, but if you are attacked by a whole swarm of ants, the consequences can be truly dire.

When Pogonomyrmex Maricopa infects its prey, it releases a pheromone that attracts other members of the colony. In response to a chemical signal, they rush to the aid of their brethren in order to join the attack and finish off the victim. The pain from one such sting according to the Schmidt scale mentioned above is equated to the third (one step less than the maximum) level of severity. If you are stung by such an ant, unbearable pain will last an average of 4 to 6 hours. For most of their lives, representatives of the Pogonomyrmex Maricopa species live in the dry desert regions of the US state of Arizona.

It is believed that there are about 10,000,000,000,000,000,000 insects living in our world now. These are 10 quintillions of living and usually invisible creatures. There are about 900 thousand of different types alone, which is 80% of the total. species diversity on the ground.

In the United States alone, 73,000 species have yet to be scientifically described and accurately classified. We traditionally consider insects not the most dangerous animals on Earth, but often such a view can be fatal. After all, some insects, although their size does not exceed the size of a finger, can be deadly.

Let's talk about the ten most famous of them, meetings with which it is better to avoid, and about the terrible consequences of which contact with them threatens.

Centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata). This insect, which is also called the flycatcher, supposedly originated in the Mediterranean. Although other sources speak of 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. Usually people kill them because of their unpleasant appearance, although in some southern countries centipedes are even protected. The flycatcher is a predator, they inject the victim with poison and then kill it. Often flycatchers settle in apartments without harming food or furniture. They love moisture, often centipedes can be found in basements, under baths, 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, the bite of such an insect is not disturbing to humans, although it can be compared with a small bee sting. For some, it can even be painful, but usually it is limited to tears. Of course, centipedes are not insects that are responsible for thousands of deaths, but many of us would be surprised to learn that someone dies from these stings every year. The fact is that an allergic reaction to insect venom is possible, but this still happens extremely rarely.

Ants (Solenopsis). There are about 200 species of stinging ants in this genus, including extremely dangerous fire ants. The very name "ants" does not sound so scary, it seems that this is just an indispensable attribute of any picnic in nature. Indeed, most of these insects are harmless and negligible in relation to the human body. However, with regard to fire ants, the situation is no longer so rosy. But there are also many other stinging species. If an ordinary ant just bites and injects acid into the wound, then fire ants are especially cruel. They bite only to gain a foothold on the body, and then with the help of a sting they inject the toxic poison solenopsin. A person with a bite of such insects experiences the same sensations as with a burn, which gave the ants their nickname. It is clear that not a large number of Ants will not bring much harm to a person, although this is also dangerous for people with hypersensitivity. But after all, such insects live in colonies, representing a significant threat. So in their places of residence it is strictly recommended not to walk barefoot, especially since ants attack everyone who is on their territory. Although there are reports of a 5% death rate resulting from bites and subsequent anaphylactic shock, this is most likely not true. But the fact that several thousand cases of hospitalization from ant bites are recorded annually in the United States is a fact. At the same time, in addition to allergic reactions, patients experience swelling, blisters, vomiting, and nausea. The scale of the problem is quite large - in the United States alone, the annual damage from these ants, including for the treatment of stung ones, is $ 5 billion.

Siafu (Dorylus). These army ants mainly live in East and Central Africa, but have also been found already in tropical Asia. Insects live in colonies that can number up to 20 million individuals, all of them blind. They make their travels with the help of pheromones. The colony has no permanent place residence, moving from place to place. In the course of movement to feed the larvae, insects attack all invertebrates. Among these ants there is a special group - soldiers. It is they who can sting, for which they use their hook-shaped jaws, and the size of such individuals reaches 13 mm. The jaws of the soldiers are so strong that in some places in Africa they are even used to secure the seams. The wound may be 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 old people are especially sensitive to the bites of such ants, and deaths from complications after contact have been observed. As a result, annually, according to statistics, from 20 to 50 people die from these insects. This is facilitated by their aggressiveness, especially when protecting their colony, which a person can accidentally attack.

Wasps and bees. (Vespula Germanica / Apis Mellifera). It would seem that wasps and bees can be found everywhere. When the weather is warm enough, the presence of a flower or the smell of sweet is enough, as they are right there. Yes, and the hives can be located in a completely unexpected place for a person. Almost every one of us has been bitten by a bee at least once, so we know from our own experience how painful it is. As a rule, such an unpleasant event medical care does not require, unless you have an allergy. If there is no tendency to unexpected reactions to bee or wasp stings, then there is nothing to worry about. But if you have allergies, serious problems are possible. According to statistics, about 50 people die every year due to an allergic reaction of the body to the bite of such insects. The poison causes anaphylactic shock, which manifests itself in hives, difficulty breathing, confusion and blanching. The final stage is loss of consciousness, and even death. Dangerous toxic reactions from bites to the head, blood vessel and oral cavity. A swallowed bee can cause swelling of the pharynx and death by suffocation. It is useful to know that when a bee stings, you should not immediately kill it. Firstly, she herself will die without a sting (unlike a wasp, which can sting several times), and secondly, a dead bee will release a special Chemical substance, which will be an alarm signal for her other relatives.

asian giant shemale(Vespa tangerine). Many of us have seen bumblebees, they seem to be quite small and there is little reason to be afraid of them. Now imagine a bumblebee that has grown 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 meet them. To understand the consequences of a bite, it is enough to listen to eyewitnesses. They compare the sensation of a bumblebee's sting to a red-hot nail driven into the foot. Sting venom has 8 different compounds that cause discomfort, damaging soft tissues and creating an odor that can attract new bumblebees to the victim. People who are allergic to bees can die from the reaction, but there are cases of death due to the poison mandorotoxin, 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. Curiously, the sting is not their main hunting tool - bumblebees crush their enemies with large jaws.

African honey bee(hybrid of Apis Mellifera scutellata). Most of us have dealt with normal bees in our gardens, but if you came into contact with African honey bees, you would definitely get in some trouble. This insect is very aggressive, besides, the African breed is distinguished by its ability to sting repeatedly. There are no pronounced notches in the sting, the bee easily takes it out of the body of the victim. The danger is also caused by the fact that these insects live in large families of up to 100 thousand individuals. So there is always the possibility of being attacked by several angry insects at once. Although the bee venom is not very dangerous, it contains only 0.3 mg per bite, it is similar in properties to the venom of a number of snakes. The danger in the case of the African bee lies in the possibility of one individual making several bites and attacking a whole swarm in general. In 1956, the bees were brought to Brazil to improve the breed. However, most of the bees quickly went wild, their swarms reaching Central America and even the southwestern United States. The danger of a swarm of bees is quite high, it is believed that it can even knock down a horse. Aggressive African bees have already killed more than 1,000 human victims, in Brazil alone in 1982, 58 people died.

Kissing bug (Triatomines). This insect was first discovered in the 19th century by Charles Darwin himself. In total, there are 138 known species of these insects, which mainly feed on the blood of vertebrates. They are found mainly in South and North America, but some species are scattered throughout Asia, Australia and Africa. All species of this beetle are believed to be able to carry and transmit Trypanosoma cruzi infection, which can be fatal to humans. This effect was first discovered in 1909 in Brazil by the physician Carlos Chagas. He discovered that the poor were bitten at night by insects, which then caused the disease, which was later named after him. A potentially deadly insect in 5% of cases generally lives either in a person’s house or in close proximity to it. At night, they are attracted to the warmth of a person and the carbon dioxide of his breath. Usually, the spread of this insect is facilitated by the untidiness of the human dwelling, where traces of insect feces and eggs can be preserved. It is believed that about 50 thousand people die from the bites of such beetles every year. Indeed, as a result, Chagas disease can develop with a fatal outcome. First, the bite site simply swells, then the infection penetrates the intestines and heart. Most deaths from Chagas disease are due to cardiomyopathy.

Tsetse fly (Glossina morsitans). Flies are annoying in themselves, just imagine that they can also suck blood from animals and humans. The tsetse fly lives in tropical and subtropical Africa, having chosen the Kalahari and Sahara deserts. Flies are carriers of trypanosomiasis, which cause sleeping sickness in animals and humans. Tsetse are anatomically very similar to their common relatives - they can be distinguished by a proboscis on the front of the head and a special manner of folding wings. It is the proboscis that allows you to get the main food - the blood of wild mammals in Africa. On this mainland, there are 21 species of such flies, which in their length can reach from 9 to 14 mm. You should not consider flies so harmless to humans, because they really kill people, doing it quite often. It is believed that up to 500 thousand people in Africa are now infected with sleeping sickness, carried by this particular insect. The disease disrupts the activity of the endocrine and cardiac systems. The nervous system is then affected, causing confusion and sleep disturbance. Attacks of fatigue are replaced by hyperactivity. The last major epidemic was recorded in Uganda in 2008, in general, the disease is on the list of forgotten in WHO. However, in Uganda alone, over the past 6 years, 200,000 people have died from sleeping sickness. It is believed that this disease is largely to blame for the deterioration of the 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 only a flash of stripes. Tsetse flies have also saved Africa from soil erosion and overgrazing caused by cattle. Man came up with different methods control of these insects. In the 1930s, all wild pigs were destroyed on the west coast, but this gave a result only for 20 years. Now they fight by shooting wild animals, cutting down bushes and treating male flies with radiation in order to deprive them of the opportunity to reproduce.

Rat fleas (Xenopsylla cheopis). Fleas are usually tiny insects that live on a cat or dog and cause itching. Fleas are usually 1/16 to 1/8 inch long, green in color and have mouths designed to suck blood. The insect's body is built to jump great distances. A flea bite is accompanied by a red mark and itching, both in humans and pets. It is during this period that pathogens are transmitted. Although cats and dogs live different kinds fleas, the most dangerous are those found on rats. These animals themselves are scary, and being infected with fleas, they become even scarier and make them avoid them in every possible way. Although the fleas themselves are small, they can carry germs and serious diseases. The most famous of these is the bacterium Yersinia pestis. It was she who caused the Black Plague in Europe in the XIV century, destroying up to half of the population of Europe. The number of victims was in the tens of millions! The spread of diseases was facilitated by rats traveling on merchant ships due to the lack of proper sanitization of ships. The first case was recorded in 1347, when a ship that arrived in France brought many dying sailors and passengers. Each ship was inhabited by rats, which, upon arrival at the port, mixed with their local relatives. They passed on plague fleas that infected new hosts. When the ship's rats began to die, the fleas began to drink the blood of the sailors. Dirty and overcrowded ports in Europe have become a great place for the spread of the disease. Then the plague was not completely destroyed, it returned and returned, taking away numerous lives. So, at the end of the 19th century, a new epidemic in India alone killed 6 million people. Today, it is extremely rare to die from these bacteria in most European countries and in the United States, but for third world countries the danger still exists.

malarial mosquito(Anopheles quadrimaculatus). As soon as the temperature outside gets above 10 degrees, we can see these annoying insects. They are most active at sunset. Only females bite humans, but many species of mosquitoes carry dangerous diseases. In total, there are about 400 such species, while studies have shown that they carry diseases such as yellow fever, encephalitis, and even canine heartworms. These insects themselves are usually attached to water bodies, where eggs are laid and larvae grow. Mosquitoes have bitten each of us, we all know what their bite marks look like. This is a red dot that swells slightly and is very itchy. Usually there is no big trouble from this, but often a bite can lead to dangerous disease and even death. One of the most well-known mosquito-borne diseases is malaria. A mosquito becomes infected with Plasmodium from a person - a carrier or a patient. The malarial virus in the body of an insect goes through a full cycle of sexual reproduction. Already 4-10 after infection, the mosquito itself becomes a source of malaria, being such for up to a month and a half. In tropical countries, such epidemics are very frequent. There are about 350-500 million cases of illness each year, with up to 3 million people dying of malaria each year. It is believed that malaria has affected at least 10% of the world's population. The highest mortality is observed in African countries, where the fight against malaria is practically not carried out, it is on this continent that 90% of all patients are located. The main means of combating mosquitoes is the drainage of swamps and the improvement of sanitary control. So, in the USA in 2002, only about 1000 cases of the disease and 8 deaths were registered.

In our world there are a great many different insects. There are even such small insects that we are not able to see. However, it is worth remembering that not all of them are harmless to humans.

Let's look at the ten most dangerous insects for our lives.

When we relax in nature, we often meet these small workers. Of course, most ants are absolutely harmless insects. However, there are ants whose bite contains toxins. After such an ant bite, a burn sensation appears. You are lucky if there are not very many of these insects. Currently, a large number of visits to the doctor with such venomous bites are recorded.

3. Siafu.

These are blind ants that roam the countries of Africa. Today there are about twenty million of them. The movement of these insects is carried out with the help of pheromones. Siafu attack anyone they meet on their way and bite with their hook-like jaws. The jaws of these ants are very strong, so a person uses them when fixing the stitches. Siafu bites contribute to the appearance of complications in the body that lead to death. Every year more than fifty people become their victims.

4. Bees and wasps.

This type of insect is familiar to us, isn't it? And their painful bites were felt by many people. Allergy sufferers should be especially careful bee stings. According to statistics, it became known that about fifty people die from bee stings every year. Bee venom contributes to anaphylactic shock, after which specific symptoms occur in human body. Especially dangerous will be a bite in places of accumulation of blood vessels, in the throat or head.

5. Giant Asian shemale.

The largest bumblebee that lives on our planet, whose length reaches five centimeters, and the wingspan is seven and a half centimeters. Unlike wasps and bees, the Asian bumblebee is able to sting more than once. The length of its sting is six millimeters. Such insects are found in the mountains of Japan and in all Asian countries. Every year, about 70 people die from the bite of these bumblebees. The pain after such a bite is so strong that it is compared to a red-hot nail driven into the leg. In addition to painful sensations, a specific smell is released that attracts other bumblebees.

6. African honey bee.

This bee is considered the most aggressive and can sting a person several times. In most cases, such bees attack the whole family, in which there are almost one hundred thousand individuals. Then you can expect big trouble, since the composition of the poison of these insects resembles the poison of some snakes. If a honey bee stings you only once, consider that the danger has passed.

7. "Kissing beetle."

This type of insect can be found in Asia, Australia, America and Africa. The "kissing beetle" is a carrier of a fatal infection. This beetle is a very dangerous insect. It lives close to people and at night it is attracted to the heat of the human body and carbon dioxide, which is formed during exhalation. It is at this moment that he is able to quietly sneak up on a person and bite him. The bitten area of ​​​​the body swells, and the infection passes to the heart and stomach, after which the person is in danger of death. Every year about fifty thousand people die from the bites of this insect.

There is such a fly in the subtropics of Africa. Due to the presence of a long proboscis, the tsetse fly is able to suck the blood of a large wild animal. This insect carries sleeping sickness, which leads to a malfunction of the cardiac and endocrine systems. Then there are disorders of the nervous system. A person may feel very tired, which after a while is replaced by activity. However, unfortunately, sleeping sickness is always fatal. According to statistics, about 200,000 deaths from the bite of a tsetse fly have been recorded in Uganda.

This insect carries an infection that contributes to such dangerous diseases as the "black plague". The epidemic of this terrible disease claimed millions of human lives in Europe in the 14th century. The disease is now on the rise in poor countries. In Europe and America, the "black plague" is rare.

10. Malarial mosquitoes.

This mosquito becomes a carrier of malaria by biting an infected person. This virus spreads throughout the body of the mosquito, and after four days this insect is already a carrier of malaria, remaining so for six weeks. About 500 million cases of infection with this virus are recorded annually, 3 million of which end in death. Malaria is common in African countries, where they do not even try to fight it.

Today there are more than a million different types flying and crawling insects. They make up over 90% of all life forms. Insects live and reproduce in different conditions and many of them biting. Insects during a bite can spread many diseases and stimulate the growth of all kinds of microorganisms, viruses and bacteria. The article lists the most famous biting insects that inject poison by biting and thereby contribute to the spread of many diseases.

1. Fleas

These wingless biting insects feed on the blood of warm-blooded vertebrates. Fleas from rats can spread the plague to people. If the infection spreads to humans, it can become deadly.

Flea bites can cause allergic reactions, swelling and rashes.

2. Bed bugs

From the bite of bedbugs, red bumps remain on the skin, which cause severe itching.

3. Malarial mosquitoes

Female mosquitoes bite the victim's skin with a thin proboscis, at the end of which there are two pairs of cutting blades. It is the blades that help to pierce the thick skin of a person. Biting malarial mosquitoes are carriers of a terrible disease of the same name - malaria. The disease is very severe, often fatal.

The first signs of the disease are common symptoms: nausea, fever and chills.

4. Red ants

The venom of the red ant is not fatal to humans, but it can be very dangerous for sensitive people. Since some people after a bite may experience severe anaphylaxis - an allergic reaction to poison.

Red ant stings are contagious and can therefore develop into welts.

5. Hornets

Japanese and Asian hornets kill about 80 people every year with their deadly poison. The poison contains a high concentration of acetylcholine, which is able to dissolve body tissues, causing severe pain.

These biting insects bite only once in their life, but this is enough to instill panic and fear in people.

6. Yellow wasps

Insects of medium size, very similar to bees. They live in colonies. All female wasps are capable of stinging. The sting, falling into the victim, can cause anaphylactic shock.

Even one bite can be fatal.

7. House mites

Insects are very small in size, so they are not visible to the human eye. The house tick is off-white in color, lives in dust and feeds on human and animal waste. Dust mites do not bite, but can cause severe allergic reactions. As a rule, there are problems with breathing. Allergy symptoms can include lethargy, coughing, sneezing, and a runny nose.

It can also cause watery eyes, a rash, and digestive problems.

8. Forest mites

The bite of a wood tick is known to spread diseases such as encephalitis, lyme disease, typhoid, spotted fever and other dangerous diseases. infectious diseases. All types of ticks live and breed in tall grass and shrubs.

In the same places, they expect their victims and imperceptibly attack them.

9 African Ants

African ants feed on spiders, mice, and other flying and crawling insects. These deadly creatures can crawl under a person's clothing and bite when they least expect it. The sting of an African ant acts instantly. Biting ants are especially dangerous for young children and the elderly. The bite causes an instant suffocation attack.

Every year more than 50 people die from the bite of African ants.

10. Tsetse fly

Often the tsetse fly is called a fly, but in fact these insects are more like large midges. Tsetse feeds on the blood of vertebrates; during a bite, a fly with saliva injects the substance trypanosomiasis into the victim. The disease that occurs later is called sleep fever. Symptoms of this disease are: fever, headache and joint pain.

Every year more than 300 people die from the bite of the tsetse fly.

Insect bite protection

All biting insects listed in this article are dangerous to humans. But you can protect yourself from these tiny killers by wearing long sleeves and long pants. Apply deterrent repellents by spraying them on shoes and clothing. Use mosquito nets in their habitats.

You can also protect your home mosquito nets, spirals and mosquito sprays that will stand up as an insurmountable barrier to biting insects. But remember that repellents should not get on open wounds and that they can cause skin irritation.

Repellents should not be used by pregnant and lactating women, and they must also be stored in a place inaccessible to children. Avoid walking near swamps, dense grass fields and dense forests, this is where biting insects await their victims.