- 7/30/2023
Category
🐳
AnimalsTranscript
00:00 Getting stung is on the top of many people's greatest fears. Out in the great outdoors,
00:05 it's easy to forget how many dangerous things exist. Stingers ready and out to sting. From
00:11 insects to deep sea creatures, it's somehow both terribly difficult and impossibly easy to avoid
00:18 these creatures. From the non-aggressive to excruciatingly painful and the sometimes lethal,
00:25 there's one on this list known to paralyze its victims. We have a non-exhaustive list of the
00:32 worst stingers out there. So buckle in, bring your repellent, subscribe to the channel and get ready
00:38 for 20 of the world's most painful stings.
00:41 25. Urban Diggerby - Pain Level 1
00:54 Location - North America Bees are vital to our natural systems,
01:00 but that doesn't mean their stinger will feel good. A bee sting is something most people can
01:06 remember. Part of growing up is getting stung by a bee. The urban diggerby is thankfully not
01:11 very aggressive and will likely only sting if provoked. So if you keep your distance,
01:16 this busy little guy will mind his business. Still, if you do end up on the business end of
01:22 this guy's backside, expect a sharp, painful, but quick sensation.
01:26 24. Tropical Fire Ant - Pain Level 1
01:33 Location - North America Fire ants are a little bit of everywhere.
01:40 No questions there. You don't want any of these little buggers getting their stingers in you.
01:46 The tropical fire ant, much like its western and Asian brothers, is surprisingly powerful,
01:52 described as a painful burning sensation. That's the name. In this case, your best bet is to stay
01:59 out of tropical areas altogether. If you're unfortunate enough to be already there,
02:03 then keep your shoes on and stay away from anthills.
02:06 23. Suturing Army Ant - Pain Level 1.5
02:13 Location - India, South Africa These guys hurt. But they're also super
02:19 practical. The suturing army ant of India and South Asia serves a purpose. Some cultures use
02:26 their bite to clamp down on a wound, and when the body is removed, it holds the cut in place.
02:32 Careful though, their sting is said to feel like a cut on your elbow stitched with a rusty needle.
02:38 I think I'd much rather have a bandaid if I had a choice.
02:41 22. Paper Wasp - Pain Level 1.5
02:47 Location - North America
02:50 You know better than to bother a wasp, even the least painful of the bunch.
03:00 Although the paper wasp is no walk in the park, it might not be the worst wasp sting you'd feel.
03:06 If you had a choice in how to be stung by a bug, maybe this would be a good choice.
03:10 Their sting feels caustic and burning, like spilling a beaker of hydrochloric acid on a
03:15 paper cut. Is it just me, or does the name suddenly feel very, very fitting? Ouch.
03:21 21. Bullhorn Acacia Ant - Pain Level 1.8
03:33 Location - Central America
03:38 They're named after the bullhorn acacia tree, to which they have a symbiotic relationship.
03:43 The bullhorn acacia ants prefer to make their homes within the hollow thorns of the acacia.
03:48 It is no wonder that their sting hurts so much. In exchange for a home and food,
03:54 the bullhorn acacia ant protects the plant from herbivores, other insects, and humans using their
04:00 sting. The sting will leave you with a sharp, piercing pain that may last up to six minutes.
04:06 The pain is likened to that experience if someone was able to fire a staple on your cheek.
04:11 So yes, that will probably be one of the longest six minutes of your life.
04:15 Now moving up a bit. At a level 2, you'd probably get a good stick out of this one. Level 2 stings
04:22 are nothing to scoff at. The scale only goes up to 4, so we're halfway through. So it's painful,
04:28 but they probably won't kill you. Many common bugs, like yellow jackets and hornets, fall under
04:34 this umbrella. These stings vary wildly, but often are described as having the debilitating pain of a
04:40 migraine contained in the tip of your finger. 20. Termite Raiding Ant - Pain Level 2
04:49 Location - Central and South America There are so many different kinds of ants out
04:57 there, you'd be surprised. The termite raiding ant isn't known for attacking humans. As their
05:02 name suggests, they're much more interested in termites. That doesn't mean they won't,
05:06 leaving a swollen spot after a brief but intense burn.
05:10 If you see any termite mounds, steer clear, alright? You don't want any trouble.
05:14 19. Jackjumper Ant - Pain Level 2 Location - Australia
05:24 Jackjumpers do just that. They jump. These aggressive little guys are not known for their
05:31 bite, but they will if provoked. They'll grip their victim with their strong jaws and use it
05:36 to sting them or get a better sting in. Their stings are intensely painful, and the swellings
05:42 may last for several days after. Their name comes from the peculiar way they walk, in a hopping
05:48 motion, usually jumping from place to place, or onto their victims.
05:57 18. Western Yellowjacket - Pain Level 2 Location - North America
06:04 If you've ever been stung by a yellowjacket, you'd know better than to mess with these little guys.
06:10 Not only will they sting you, but the venom it puts under your skin will cause a sudden pain,
06:16 redness, and swelling around the injection spot. Common symptoms include fatigue,
06:21 itching, and warmth, something lasting for several hours after. Not fun.
06:27 These are some of the most common types of stings. Anyone who's ever played around in
06:32 an unattended backyard as a child may have similar memories of getting caught in the wrong spot.
06:38 Some of the little guys on this list aren't aggressive. Unfortunately, the yellowjacket
06:43 is not one. 17. Bold-Faced Hornet
06:52 - Pain Level 2 Location - North America
06:56 The bold-faced hornet can not only attack, but they'll keep coming for you,
07:00 since their stinger isn't barbed and won't come off in the attack. Terrifyingly enough,
07:06 they're also known to remember faces, so once they sting you, if you get away from them,
07:11 they'll remember you. It's insane to think. If you kill their friend, they'll probably go hunt
07:16 you down later. The bold-faced hornet is a particular sort of predator that you don't
07:25 often see in the wild. Their sting is no joke either. Described as similar to getting your
07:30 hand mashed in a revolving door, it's a pounding, long-lasting pain that you probably won't soon
07:36 forget. 16. Hairy Panther Ant - Pain Level 2
07:44 Location - South America Maybe the hairy panther ant is one we'd all
07:50 agree on keeping away from, known as the largest ant in the world. Their sting is intense, burning
07:56 and can last for up to 24 hours with a feeling that's described as your skin feeling like it's
08:01 on fire. The thing is, it's not the pain, but how long you're in pain for. Chances are, one sting
08:08 from the hairy panther ant is more than enough to learn to keep your distance. 15. Giant Bornean
08:17 Carpenter Bee - Pain Level 2.5 Location - Asia
08:22 The Paine Bornean Carpenter Bee is among the world's largest bees. It is almost twice the
08:30 size of a bumblebee. Its size is not the only thing terrifying about it. It has powerful jaws
08:36 that help it dig into wood. That's probably why you'll find it on the branches of a dead tree.
08:41 However, what you should be more worried about is its sting. The pain from the sting is described
08:47 as being piercing and electrifying. It is immediate and intense. You will also experience a burning
08:54 sensation. The good news is that this bee doesn't lose its stinger, so you won't have to remove
09:00 anything. The bad news is that the Giant Bornean Carpenter Bee can sting you again.
09:05 When you get to level 3 on the pain scale, things get a bit hairy. Described as a level of pain
09:13 akin to drilling beneath the nail, it's intense and slow and long-lasting. Many of these stings
09:20 have long-lasting effects and increased pain. This pain is not for the faint of heart or anyone,
09:28 since people all react differently. The longer the pain lasts, the less likely you are to forget it,
09:34 though luckily not many of these can kill you. Some can, though, and don't forget it.
09:38 14. Platypus - Pain Level 3
09:45 Location. Freshwater areas eastern Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania.
09:56 A platypus may appear cute, clumsy, and totally harmless, but what you probably didn't know is
10:01 that they can deliver one of the most painful stings. The male platypus in particular has
10:06 ankle spurs on its hind legs. These hollow spurs sting deep and hard, leaving you with an immediate
10:13 and long-lasting pain. The good news is that a platypus will never sting a human unless provoked.
10:19 The ankle spurs are usually used as defense against rival males during their mating season.
10:25 The sting from the venomous spur is capable of paralyzing the limbs of the rival.
10:29 13. Florida Harvester Ant - Pain Level 3
10:36 Location. North America. The most venomous insect globally, the Florida Harvester Ant is a unique
10:46 pain. They have one of the most potent venoms of any insect on the planet, 20 times more toxic than
10:53 honeybees and third five times more powerful than rattlesnake venom. It's much like other fire ants,
11:01 but worse. Instead of staying localized to its injection site, the venom spreads and progressively
11:06 gets worse over time. They'll also keep stinging over and over if allowed, so better swat them,
11:12 or it'll only get more intense.
11:17 12. Maricopa Harvester Ant - Pain Level 3
11:21 Location. North America. Like their Florida cousins, these highly toxic harvesters may not
11:29 be often lethal. Still, as the venom can spread along your lymph channels, causing hairs to stand
11:36 erect and cause localized sweating, it may be medically serious. A few hundred stings can take
11:42 down a grown human, unlike the 1,500 honeybee stings it would take. The harvester ant is just
11:48 as aggressive as many of its other fire ant cousins, so your best bet is to keep your distance
11:54 and be mindful of anthills, which are sort of everywhere, so maybe don't stand in random patches
11:59 of grass or forests anywhere. 11. Western Honeybee - Pain Level 3
12:08 Location. Worldwide. Honeybees are not aggressive, but the western variety is known to sting if
12:15 they're threatened or provoked. On average, it takes more than 10 stings per pound of body weight
12:20 to take down a human for these little guys. They can only sting once, though. It's described as
12:26 feeling like a shot at the doctor's office, intense and sharp, but it grows hot and will itch in
12:31 response. Luckily, honeybees are more good than bad, making this a very easy advisory of maybe
12:38 not messing with bees. They're doing their thing, making the environment better.
12:42 10. Glorious Velvet Ant - Pain Level 3 Location. North America.
12:52 What do you expect from the one also known as the cow killer ant? Well, a painful sting for sure.
12:58 These aren't ants at all, no matter what the name sounds like. Instead, they're wingless wasps,
13:05 highly aggressive, with an intense sting that leaves its victim in immense agony.
13:10 Not to mention, they can grow up to a full inch long. Not something to be messed with.
13:15 Level 4 pain is, well, the highest possible level. And that should speak for itself. That is,
13:23 these guys are above and beyond levels of pain, leaving their victims in intense agony,
13:28 sometimes paralyzing or numbing the victim entirely. Not many people can stomach this pain,
13:34 having severe symptoms and sometimes lasting for days, weeks, or even months after the initial
13:39 sting. Level 4 pain will continue with you for a while or even kill you under the right
13:45 circumstances. These are some of the most toxic, aggressive, and debilitating stings out there.
13:51 I'd say avoid these, but sometimes they're quicker than you'd expect or hard to spot.
13:56 Some of them can camouflage, and others hide in plain sight. So if you're out in the world,
14:01 be careful. 9. Stonefish
14:06 Pain level 4. Location. North Australia and Indo-Pacific.
14:13 Stonefish boasts of being the world's most venomous fish. This simply means that their sting
14:20 is painful and absolutely fatal. Unfortunately, it is not easy to spot a stonefish because it
14:28 is so good at camouflaging. It blends in so well with the ocean floor and coral reef that only
14:34 their sting will let you know that you've come close to a stonefish. Their sting is delivered
14:39 by spines found on their dorsal fin. The pain from the sting is excruciating and swelling spreads
14:45 through the arm or leg within a matter of seconds. 8. Arizona Bark Scorpion.
14:54 Pain level 4. Location. North America. This little guy is ready for a fight.
15:02 Aggressive with big pinches to hold the victim in place while they sting.
15:07 Now, the smaller their pinches are, the more potent the venom is. It's described as instant
15:13 blinding pain that can cause both confusion and hyperventilation, causing affected areas to go
15:19 numb. Sometimes the affected area will be numb for months after the sting and sometimes can cause
15:25 paralyzing effects that may result in frothing at the mouth. Rarely does it kill full-grown adults,
15:30 mostly the elderly or children. Best to stay away.
15:33 7. Blunt-nosed Stingray. Pain level 4. Location. North America. Thankfully,
15:46 stingrays are not aggressive. If they were, we'd be in trouble. They usually hang out below the
15:52 seabed surface, which is dangerous for people walking out in the waves. And there's very little
15:58 you can do other than to be aware or avoid their resting places. If you were to step on a stingray,
16:05 the 5-inch bony stinger could pierce through your skin and sometimes through an ankle. The sting is
16:11 described as excruciating and known to be paralytic, affecting breathing and heart function.
16:17 6. Vox Jellyfish. Pain level 4. Location. Japan. Jellyfish look graceful and lovely from afar.
16:37 No one will be surprised to hear quite how painful it is to be stung by one. It's usually
16:43 easy to stay away, sometimes it's impossible to miss it. It's described as a sharp, burning pain,
16:50 like you've been stung by a bee, but everywhere the tentacle touched. Their tentacles sting like
16:56 tiny harpoons, ejecting into the skin and releasing their neurotoxins. Even after the initial sting,
17:04 you may end up with hives for days after. Intensely itchy and impossibly hot.
17:10 It makes you question whether you want to go to the beach, eh?
17:14 5. Bullet Ant. Pain level 4. Location. Central America. The Central American bullet ant is a
17:29 special kind of ant, the most powerful ant sting of this whole list. Its sting is described as
17:36 feeling like you're walking over flaming charcoal with a 3-inch nail in your heel.
17:40 The aggression and pain are what they're named after. Do you want to be shot with a bullet? No,
17:52 probably not. You also probably don't want to be stung by a bullet ant either, unless you're
17:57 some crazy person. Luckily, you would have to be pretty far out in Central America to
18:02 find these little guys. But if you're there, be careful.
18:05 4. Giant Asian Hornets. Pain level 4. Location. Japan. Being stung by a giant Asian hornet is an
18:19 intense experience. They hardly live up to their other name, often referred to as "murder hornets"
18:25 and gained a fair bit of notoriety last year. Known to inhabit the forests of Japan, you likely
18:31 won't encounter them. Chances are, though, even if you did, they wouldn't bother you unless you
18:36 bother them. They're much more interested in attacking other hornets, giant beetles,
18:41 and mantises. Their sting is described as feeling like someone has shoved a red hot
18:46 poker into your arm and does not remove it for close to 6 hours. I'll pass that.
18:55 3. Warrior Wasp. Pain level 4. Location. Central and South America.
19:03 The news on warrior wasps comes twofold. Good and bad news. The good news is, despite also being
19:10 called a cow killer, the warrior wasp is not toxic to humans or other animals. And the bad news for
19:16 everyone and the entire world is the warrior wasp lives up to its name. It's aggressive,
19:21 known for aggressive displays. They rarely kill you, but that doesn't mean, like many other wasps,
19:26 they're known to sting more than once or continue stinging until stopped. So maybe don't bother them.
19:32 For those unlucky few who wander into the warrior wasp's line of sight,
19:39 you'll be on the receiving end of a sting that's explosive and long-lasting.
19:42 It feels like hot oil from the deep fryer spilling over your entire hand. That's a lot.
19:48 2. Executioner Wasp. Pain level 4. Location. Central and South America.
20:00 The name of this wasp is enough to send shivers down the spine. That alone can tell you about how
20:06 painful the sting will be. According to Coyote Peterson, the king of sting, who deliberately
20:12 got stung by an executioner wasp, describes the pain as "burning uncontrollably". To make matters
20:18 worse, the sting is venomous. This simply means that the pain is accompanied by nasty side effects
20:23 that will quickly bring you to your knees. This newly discovered wasp is said to deliver a sting
20:28 that is more painful than that of a bullet ant or even an Asian hornet.
20:38 1. Tarantula Hawk. Pain level 4. Location. North, Central, and South America.
20:47 We're fortunate that the intimidating tarantula hawk is docile as it is. They rarely sting without
20:54 provocation. The thing about that is, they're the most painful sting of all insects, according to
21:00 pain indexes. At the very top of level 4, they're much more interested in attacking their primary
21:06 source of prey, tarantulas. Their sting is described as intense, explosive, and downright
21:12 debilitating, earning its top position on the painful sting scale in name and also practice.
21:18 In all, no one wants to be stung. It's always painful, but sometimes even debilitating.
21:31 Venom and toxins are the first lines of defense, and most of them are only aggressive when
21:36 threatened. The pain scale might give you a good idea of what it'll feel like, but do you want to
21:42 test those things out? Your best bet is to stay away, but if you have to go out, get your bug
21:48 spray. If you can't get your bug spray, maybe cover up and try to avoid any odd nests or ant hills
21:54 while you're out there. Thanks for watching! See you in the next one.
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