Insects and People: Insects that Annoy and Hurt Directly
Why are most people afraid of insects?
Because of how they were raised/their parents
Why are most young children not afraid of insects?
Because they havenāt been taught to be afraid of them yet
How many people in the U.S. die each year from insect bites and stings?
90-100
Annoyance with No Significant Injury
Screaming crickets, creepy crawlers, and ugly roaches
Level of annoyance varies with individual and insect
Insects and other arthropods fall into multiple āriskā categories.
Most arthropod species have no impact on us, and should be treated as harmless
Entomophobia: an irrational fear of insects
whether or not they pose a threat or danger
Delusional parasitosis: belief that non-existent insects are crawling on or biting oneās body
Insects and Other Arthropods Causing Direct Pain or Medical Problem
Urticating hairs, sharp mandibles, and spiny legs
Blood-sucking bites
Many flies, mosquitoes, and some other
Need blood for eggs
A good source of protein
Other arthropods like ticks and mites are also painful
Mouthparts may needle in or cut and slash
Usually with various irritants
Venomous bites from āpoisonā fangs
Black widows with the red hourglass
Brown recluse with the fiddle or violin
Lots of bees, ants, and wasps (Hymenoptera) can deliver painful stings.
Venom can be a variety of things but commonly have formic acid or alkalines
Venomous vs Poisonous: venom is injected through a bite or sting, and poison is ingested or touched
In the United States, some of the most painful stings (according to Justin Schmidtās pain index): Tarantula Hawk Wasps, Cow Killers (Velvet Ants), Fire Ants
Stings; ex. Hymenoptera
Whatās in the venom
Alarm pheromones and multiple stings
The most painful bite, sting, or toxic venom
Parasites: living in or on another organism (host) at the hostās expense
Anoplura: head lice and nits, cooties, and crabs:
Acarina: itch mites and follicle mites
Diptera:
myiasis: the invasion of living or necrotic tissue by fly larvae (maggots);
maggots invading living tissue
Hemiptera: bed bugs, people, and chickens
Siphonaptera: fleas and dogs
Body lice: A different subspecies of human lice that live in the seams of clothes. Common in homeless people without frequent access to clothes washing
Allergies and Reactions Beyond Normal
Some insects may cause allergies or long-term breathing issues after repeated and continuous exposure
Asthma in kids in the city from cockroaches
Dust mites
Some people are allergic to stings produced by insects
Less than 1% of the population and varies by person