When Bugs Attack: The World’s Most Terrifying Insects

I think I speak for a lot of us when I say: I hate bugs.

I get it, insects are a crucial part of the whole circle of life thing. But seriously, can we just get rid of mosquitoes? They are little flying spawns of Satan, and for some reason, they absolutely love me. It could be frigid outside, and one from a thousand miles away would risk freezing to death just to come and bite me.

But, as much as I despise those tiny bloodsuckers, I have to admit there are far worse insects out there. Here are some of the most terrifying ones that I hope neither of us ever has to encounter.

1. The Africanized Honeybee (AKA Killer Bees)

This is a classic example of humans messing with nature. Back in the 1950s in Brazil, a scientist crossed a honeybee with an African bee. The idealistic goal? To create a bee that could survive in the jungle to maximize honey production.

Well, the purpose was fulfilled, but the scientist also created a bit of a monster. These bees have since spread across Central and South America and even made their way to North America.

The Africanized honeybee has an intensely aggressive nature when protecting its hive. If they feel the slightest bit threatened by humans or animals, they will attack, often resulting in serious injury or death. They are easily irritated, so even the noise or vibrations from a car engine can get them riled up.

While their stingers are no more venomous than those of other bees, they attack in huge groups, often stinging victims dozens or even hundreds of times. And they are persistent! Think jumping into water will help? Nope, they’ll just wait at the surface until you run out of air. Try running away? They’ll follow you for up to half a mile.

It’s fitting that they’re affectionately known as “Killer Bees”; they’ve killed around 1,000 humans since their introduction.

2. The Bot Fly

Bot flies are parasites whose larvae grow in the flesh of their hosts. The species we’re talking about targets humans and is found mainly in Central and South America.

So, how do they infect us? It relates back to those flying spawns of Satan, the mosquitoes! It all begins when a female bot fly deposits her eggs onto a blood-feeding mosquito. When that mosquito goes for its next meal, the bot fly eggs are transferred under the human’s skin.

The eggs mature into larvae, and usually, a bump appears on the skin with a lesion. Some people have even reported feeling the bump move! How do you remove such a monstrous parasite? Sometimes it can be as simple as popping it like a pimple. Other times, if it’s deep inside, surgery is needed.

3. The Jewel Wasp

Let’s keep the trend going with horrifying insects that are perfectly fine with using other organisms as hosts for their reproduction. The Jewel Wasp is located in the more tropical regions of South Asia, Africa, and the Pacific Islands.

Female wasps utilize roaches as their hosts in a particularly gruesome way. They sting the roach with venom that paralyzes the mobility of its front legs. Then, a second sting is delivered to the head, reducing its mobility completely. The totally immobilized roach is then brought into the wasp’s burrow, where wasp eggs are laid into its abdomen.

When the eggs hatch, the larvae literally eat their way into the roach’s abdomen. While maturing, they consume the roach’s internal organs. Finally, they form a cocoon inside the roach, and as an adult, the wasp breaks out to start the cycle all over again.

4. Goliath Bird-Eater Spider

I don’t love spiders. I know some are harmless and helpful to the ecosystem, but if they set foot in my house, they’re going to feel the wrath of a rolled-up newspaper.

Now, imagine one with a leg span of up to 11 inches! Meet the Goliath Bird-Eater Spider, the largest spider in the world. You definitely don’t make newspapers big enough for this thing.

These spiders live in South America, usually located in the rainforests. They are part of the tarantula family and share a special defense mechanism known as urticating hairs. These incredibly harmful hairs are ejected from the spider’s body toward any perceived threat.

Despite being called the “Bird-Eater,” they don’t actually eat birds (they’re probably too scared to land near it!). But they do eat frogs, rodents, lizards, and even snakes.

5. Camel Spider

This 5 to 6-inch-long spider is the stuff of nightmares. They came to prominent attention when American soldiers stationed in the Middle East would find these creepy crawlers hiding in their boots for shade from the sun. Imagine finding that in your shoe!

The Camel Spider usually lives in warm and dry climates like the Middle East, favoring deserts. There are a bunch of urban legends about this spider, ranging from its speed to its venom and size, but most of them are myths.

However, this spider does have a powerful jaw (called chelicerae) which can be up to one-third of its body length. They use this powerful jaw to turn victims like lizards, rodents, and even birds into pulp before sucking them into their stomachs.

6. Bullet Ant

These things are absolutely terrifying. Found in Central and South America, they live up to their namesake by inflicting a sting so powerful it feels as if you’ve been shot.

Some people have even described the sensation as:

“Pure, intense, brilliant pain. Like fire walking over flaming charcoal with a 3-inch rusty nail in your heel.”

The agony supposedly lasts for around 24 hours.

An interesting and slightly disturbing fact is that there is a tribe of people in Brazil that uses ants in an initiation ritual for boys to become warriors. A glove is made of leaves, filled with these ants, and the boys have to put them on their hands for about 10 minutes. This must be done 20 times. I think I’d just happily stay a boy, thanks.

7. Giant Silkworm Moth Caterpillar

The Giant Silkworm Moth is found in South America, but its most potent and dangerous form is when it is a caterpillar. Before reaching maturity, the caterpillar needs to defend itself. How? With its infamous toxins that cause Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC).

In simple terms, once the caterpillar’s hairs inject their toxins into you, the poison will cause a bunch of blood clots in your veins, which are potentially lethal.

8. Japanese Giant Hornet

Let’s be honest: bees are scary, wasps are terrifying, but a hornet with flesh-melting venom is pain-inducing. These Hornets are a subspecies of the largest hornets in the world, the Asian Giant Hornets. They have a wingspan of over 2 inches, definitely not something you want flying near your face.

The Japanese Giant Hornets are found in the Japanese Islands. They prey on other insects and bees and are extremely aggressive when threatened.

The main horrifying aspect is their sting. Their venom attacks the nervous system and tissue and is described as excruciatingly painful, up there with the bullet ant. Every year, 30 to 40 people in Japan die after being stung by these hornets.

The takeaway from all of this? Maybe bring a lot of bug spray wherever you go! And maybe we really should try to destroy all the mosquitoes. It could bring the whole world together, like in Independence Day, but instead of aliens, we all band together to kill mosquitoes!

Let me know how you feel about mosquitoes and my plan for global mosquito eradication. Also, which insects do you fear the most? They don’t have to be on this list!