9 Deadliest Insects (The Top 3 live in Iowa)
9. Bullet Ant
One of the largest species of ants in the world, the bullet ant can be up to 1″ long. The Bullet ants sting has been called one of the most painful feelings in the world and it gets it name from the pain of the sting. It is said that the bullet ants sting is feels like getting a struck by a bullet. Once more the pain may take several days to subside and that is just one sting. These ants will attack without warning and emit a frightening shriek as they attack there victims. These ants can be found in the rain forests of South America.
8. Human Bot Fly (Dermatobia hominis)
These flies lay there eggs on other insects like mosquito’s and horse flies. They then get rubbed off onto humans and animals. The egg is incubate and burrows into the flesh where they feed and grow under the victims skin. These Bot Fly larva cause infections and and have been found inside tear ducts, and even human brains. The human bot fly can be found in Central and South America.
7. Japanese/Asian Giant Hornet
This wasp boosts the ability to spit 8 flesh eating toxins while also having the ability to sting what ever it wants, as many times as it wants. While it only accounts for up to 50 human deaths per year it is without a doubt one of the deadliest insects on earth. Just a few dozen of these wasps can completely destroy a colony of honey bees 20,000+ bees strong. The Japanese/Asian Giant Hornet is native to China and central Asia but has spread to France as well as South Korea.
6. Driver Ant
Driver ant colony sizes can be as large as 20-30 million strong. These ants are not particularly poisonous nor do they have abnormally sharp or powerful mandibles. What makes these ants deadly is the sheer size of their swarms. The Driver ant will literally engulf it’s pray and carry it away. Rather than building nests like other ants, these driver ants swarm. Driver ants are native to Central and South Africa as well as tropical Asia.
5. Kissing Bug
While most species feed on sap, some of these bugs feed on blood. They got their strange name because of there unusual moth parts and because they have a behavior to “bite” their victims on the lips while they sleep. These bugs are known to be a primary vector for Chagas disease that kills 10-15 thousand people annually. Kissing bugs are native to South, Central and North America.
4. Tsetse Fly
The Tsetse fly is the primary vector for “sleeping sickness” and has killed hundreds of thousands of people. Modern day medicine has reduced that number to less then 10,000 reported cases. No the less more then 70 million people remain at risk of contracting the disease annually. Tsetse flies are native to central Africa.
3. Flea
Have you heard of the Bubonic plague? This plague has killed millions of people. The black plague still exists today and on average there are 7 causes annually in the United States. Several of those causes will be fatal. The plague is transmitted from fleas that bite humans or small animals. It can also be transmitted by coming in contact with an infected animal or person. Fleas are native to nearly all regions of the world.
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2. Locust/grasshopper
I bet you never thought a grasshopper would be deadly. Locusts are a pest of biblical proportion. They will eat everything in their path. On average, a locust will consume their body weight in grain and plant matter daily. Can you imaging eating your body weight in anything? Locusts have been the cause for food shortages and famine for thousands of years killing millions of people. While locust swarms can be better controlled then they have in the past, locust still pose a real threat to our food supply.
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1. Mosquito
Mosquitoes can carry over a dozen diseases including Malaria, Zika, and Encephalitis to name a few. Mosquitoes can be found on every continent except Antarctica. Malaria alone kills over 1 million people per year and infects up to 500,000 more people annually. Mosquitoes breed in standing or stagnate water and will often bite early in the morning or just before sun set in the evening. Mosquito control tips include the use of bug repellents, long pants and longs sleeves to help protect yourself from the deadly effects of mosquitoes. Reduce standing water found around your home, keeps gutters clean and make sure to prevent water from pooling after a rain whenever possible.