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As an amateur entomologist, I've been asked more than once over the years what is the deadliest insect? Having been stumped by this question once again, I decided to do some research to see what the general consensus is. I came up with this list from a couple of different sources.
Note the "deadliest" in this case doesn't specifically mean how poisonous a species is, but rather how deadly the species has been to the human race over the years. For example, a bite from a single fire ant would hardly be deadly, but a colony of a few million could make for a very different threat.
1. Anopheles Mosquito
This mosquito is a primary carrier for blood-borne diseases (ie., Malaria.) As late as 2008, there are reportedly still hundreds of millions of cases of malaria each year and because of this, this insect is responsible for more deaths than every other insect combined.
2. Fleas
Feeding on the blood of warm-blooded vertebrates, fleas can infest an animal or area very quickly. If bitten, the bite could swell into a pustule and cause allergic reactions in some victims. Fleas were directly responsible for spreading the bubonic plague which killed approximately 75 million people in the 1340s. Worth noting is that the earth's entire population then was only about 450 million. That would be the equivalent of a plague that killed over one BILLION people today. While fleas are more of a nuisance today than a serious threat, the fact that at one time they were responsible for killing one sixth of the world's population gets them mention as one of the deadliest insects of all time.
3. Killer Bees
Thanks largely to the introduction of the Africanized HoneyBee; the death toll has taken a sharp upturn over the past fifteen years. Normal solitary bees are not known to sting humans for the sheer need to do so, and, even so, they die once the deed is done. However, many people the world over are seriously allergic to bee stings and can experience anaphylactic shock causing death. But, unlike those standard bees, Africanized Bees, or Killer Bees, will attack with the slightest provocation in large numbers swarming over the victims. The death toll per year is in the thousands.
4. TseTse Fly
TseTse Fly is the carrier implicated in sleeping sickness. This disease is very prevalent in Africa where its death toll is estimated to be around 250 to 300 thousand every year.
5. Fire Ants
Fire Ants when provoked can sting. The sting of the fire ant injects venom into the victim and feels like the affected area is on fire, from which the ant derives its name as well. A few small stings can be quickly treated and cured, but when the ants swarm, which they are often wont to do, that’s when the trouble starts. 150 deaths per day as well as millions of dollars in crop damage yearly make these ants fearsome indeed.
6. Locusts
Though not a direct threat to humans, locusts are known to cause sever infestations which eventually destroy almost all the crop yields in the affected area. They are therefore on the sixth position among the top ten deadliest insects.
7. Wasps
Wasps are a deadly insect because of the potency of their sting. They only sting when their nests are threatened. The sting is known to trigger sever allergic reactions which can kill those who have an allergic sensitivity to the chemicals in the sting. The sting causes edema where the airways of the stung person swell up causing them to suffocate to death.
8. Siafu or African Ants
Twenty million ants strong, one single colony can ravage the African countryside obliterating everything in their path. When food shortages present themselves, the colony as a whole will march through whatever happens to be in its path in order to acquire sustenance. Though not difficult to avoid, the very young or elderly can find themselves victims of asphyxiation and 20-50 die each year as well as thousands of dollars in foodstuffs damage yearly.
9. Giant Japanese or Asian Hornet
This huge hornet can reach lengths of three inches and has a very lethal sting. The sting causes allergic reactions and releases many toxins. An enzyme in its venom can dissolve human tissue and also attracts other hornets to the area of the bite. What makes it even deadlier is that, like all hornets, it can sting repeatedly.
10. Hemiptera - kissing bugs
Hemiptera or kissing bugs are a variety of bugs which have sucking tubes at their mouth ends. They can transmit a condition called Chagas’ disease. The disease is common in South and central America and in Mexico. Current drug treatments for this disease are unsatisfactory as they highly toxic and often ineffective, especially when the disease becomes chronic.
Sources:
http://www.insectpest.net/2008/09/a-quick-guide-to-the-ten-deadliest-insects/
http://listverse.com/nature/top-10-deadliest-insects/
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