Forget the humble honey bee sting. There are some insects in the world capable of bringing a grown man to his knees in agony. In fact, some of these miniature beasts can even kill with a single strike. Check out our list of the 10 most painful insect bites and stings in the world.
Bullet Ant
A Bullet Ant bite is 30 times worse than a bee sting and the pain has been compared to a gunshot wound, hence the name. The agony of a bite escalates over time, lasting from 12 to 24 hours. Unbelievably, young Sateré-Mawé men from the Amazon stick their hands into Bullet Ant gloves in an agonizing coming-of-age ceremony.
Where does the Bullet Ant live?
Bullet Ants live in the rainforests of South and Central America.
Tarantula Hawk Wasp
Tarantula hawk wasps are small but mighty. A sting from one can cause intense, electric pain and the only upside is that the pain lasts for just a few minutes. Hawk Wasps use their powerful stings to paralyze tarantulas so they can drag them into their dens to be eaten alive.
Where does the Tarantula Hawk Wasp live?
Tarantula Hawk Wasps are most common in South America but other varieties have been found in Australia, Africa and the Southwest of the USA.
Sydney Funnel Web Spider
A bite from a Sydney Funnel Web Spider can kill a human in as little as 15 minutes. Male Funnel Webs can bite repeatedly and have potent venom that attacks the nervous system, causing air sacs in the lungs to burst so victims drown.
Where does the Sydney Funnel Web Spider live?
The Sydney Funnel Web Spider is found in Eastern Australia, within a 60 mile radius of Sydney.
Red Harvester Ant
Red Harvester Ants live in forests, where they search for seeds to store in their underground larders. If you happen to disturb one of these lairs, you’ll be attacked with stinging bites that cause swelling and intense pain for several hours. In severe cases, allergic reactions can cause death.
Where does the Red Harvester Ant live?
There are 22 species of Harvester Ants in the USA, most are found in the South West and seven species are prominent in Texas.
Paper Wasp
Paper wasps are named after the decorative nests they create from wood fibre and saliva. One nest can contain around 200 wasps and if you happen to disturb one, you could be attacked by the whole hive. Paper Wasp stings are agonizing and can cause life-threatening allergic reactions.
Where do Paper Wasps live?
Paper wasps live all over the world and there are over a thousand species, 20 of which are common in North America.
Amazon Giant Centipede
A bite from an Amazon Giant Centipede will leave you in burning pain for up to 12 hours. These centipedes can grow up to a foot long and use their powerful bite to kill prey as large as bats and lizards. The centipede has toxic venom that kills its victims within minutes, but isn’t lethal to humans. Check out this youtube video of a giant centipede eating a mouse.
Where do Amazon Giant Centipedes live?
Amazon Giant Centipedes can be found throughout South America and the Caribbean.
Yellow Jacket
The common Yellow Jacket has distinctive black and yellow markings. They live in groups of up to 4,000 in large paper nests suspended in trees or bushes. In the U.S, the native Yellow Jacket has been overtaken by the German variety which is more aggressive and attacks repeatedly with sharp, piercing stings.
Macro shot of hornet or yellow jacket.
Where do Yellow Jackets live?
Yellow Jackets live all over the world and are not specific to any one region.
Black Widow Spider
The Black Widow Spider has venom 15 times more poisonous than a rattlesnake and can be deadly to sick, old or very young people. Females are known for killing and eating males after mating. A bite from a black widow will cause nausea and strong, agonizing muscle contractions.
Where do Black Widow Spiders live?
Black Widow Spiders live all over the world, including North America, Australia and southern Europe.
Japanese Giant Hornet
These hornets certainly live up to their name and grow up to two inches long. Japanese hornets are known to be incredibly aggressive and pack a powerful sting that can kill. If you’re stung more than 10 times by Japanese Giant Hornets you’ll need urgent medical treatment.
Where do Japanese Giant Hornets live?
These hornets are a sub-species of the Asian Giant Hornet and live in Japan.
Puss Caterpillar
The Puss Caterpillar looks appealing, but its furry coat is actually full of toxic spines. The bristles stick to human skin and cause a serious burning rash which leads to extreme pain, fever and nausea which lasts for up to 12 hours. This is the most poisonous caterpillar in the U.S and its deceptively harmless appearance makes it all the more dangerous.
Where do Puss Caterpillars live?
Puss Caterpillars are common in parts of the U.S, especially Florida, New Jersey, Arkansas and Texas.
What’s the most painful insect bite you’ve ever experienced? Share your comments in the box below.
If pests are a problem near your home, give us a call at 805-544-9446 so that we can help keep your family safe.
About Brezden Pest Control: Brezden Pest Control provides rodent control, bird control, ant control, and termite treatment services in the San Luis Obispo area. The company keeps homes and businesses pest-free with its commercial pest control and home pest control services. “Like” the Facebook page to receive information on termite treatment. Call 805-544-9446 today for a local pest control estimate. Visit the website to download a copy of the “Top 10 Reasons Customers Choose Brezden Pest Control.”
I watched a video where this guy lets insects bite him and he said by far the worst was the Japanese Giant Hornet it hurt for over 24 hours and his whole arm swelled to twice it’s size, I watched him drop to his knees screaming what a idiot lol no
I was stung by one last night- it’s been over 12 hours and I’m still in excruciating pain. No sleep whatsoever. These guys are no joke!
I know who ur talking abt
Mark i believe who you are talking about is Coyote Peterson at The Brave Wilderness YouTube channel
I know who ur on about
I have been stung by all of the insects on this list that live in the United States. While the Tarantula hawk sting is excruciating, the fact that it eases fairly quickly makes it much less severe than a puss caterpillar. I literally smashed a push caterpillar with the base of my hand and my wrist many years ago. It left a perfect red raised impression in the shape of the caterpillar on the sting location. Every stinger must have penetrated my skin. The pain made me vomit and was still in almost full force until the next day. I got no sleep the first night and the arm was completely useless for more than 24 hours. I cant imagine worse pain.
Ted Strecker.
I was sitting on the bench outside of my house one day in a pus caterpillar crawled into my pants worst pain I’ve ever felt besides a centipede bite
We’re you ever biten by a black widow?
Stung on the bottom of my foot by a European Hornet!!! By far and away worse sting I ever took. Nothing else even close. Been hit by every wasp and bee and yellowjacket around! These guys bring the pain!!!
I was stung by a European Hornet but I’ve also been stung by a giant Asian hornet in North Hong Kong and this wasp is the most painful thing I have ever experienced, I got stung twice and my leg had inflated to twice the size within 5 minutes, my mum had thought I’d been bitten by a snake it was that bad. 24 hours later the pain was still there, was like a hot electric needle was being stabbed into deep muscle every 5 seconds every day for 3 days
Hardhead catfish
Spiders and centipedes are not insects spiders are arachnids and centipedes are miriepods
Spiders and centipedes are not insects spiders are arachnids and centipedes are myriapods
And bullet ants have the third most painful sting after the giant hornet and the executioner wasp so that means your stupid
What about scorpion stings, to me that is the worst sting ever.
What about scorpion stings, to me that is the worst sting ever. I have never said that before on this or any other site.
I was visiting Puerto Rico for vacation when I got stung by a bullet ant. The pain was very excruciating and I felt like I was dying. The ants have one of the worst pains insects can cause. I feel so bad for the people who do insect bite and stings for fun.
Velvet Ant. That sucker packs a punch.
I was bitten or stung almost a year ago by something on my middle finger. I am an adult and I cried…it hurt for a few days…but now, a year later…I am having issues with that same finger, down past the knuckle into my hand….I don’t even know what it was so I can’t look up anything. I live in Central Texas.
Where is the velvet ant (cow killer ant)? The females have a stinger about an inch long and the pain can last for like 30 minutes.
Saddleback caterpillar. I screamed and cried without stopping for about an hour. It was even worse than a copperhead bite, even though that bite was on my breast.
I’m going to just say that you might have the worst luck in the whole comment section. You have to be one tough cookie
So I was going to get wine but then when I opened it a Yellowjacket was in the wine bottle and stung me. It was really painful.
I was stung / bitten by an Amazon giant centipede, it wasn’t as bad initially in contrast with what I expected it to be judging by what I had read, however it did get worse over time with swelling and discolouration which was a bit scary. The discomfort probably lasted a day. The worse bites for me were the swarm of mosquitoes that got me a month later ~ I thought my whole body was on fire and felt like I was going crazy with itching absolutely horrible.
Wow these are sooooo cute
I got stung by a Sydney funnel web spider…. The pain lasted 1 week and It felt like someone was repeatedly shooting the spot where I was bitten with a gun. Had to go to the hospital for 3 days.. Don’t mess with these guys… Had to go to the hospital for 3 days.
Australian Bull ant. Huge, highly agressive (they even fight and kill other ants from the same nest!) and the most potent insect venom on the planet. They have been known to kill people.
trust me yellow jacket 4 years old pinky then neck ow I was crying for almost 5 minutes then I saw ice cream and well… I was a kid what would you expect? mom in that situation though🤣!
trust me yellow jacket 4 years old pinky then neck ow I was crying for almost 5 minutes then I saw ice cream and well… I was a kid what would you expect? mom in that situation though🤣! 😭me though me though😭