'Extreme, Sharply Intense Agony': Scientist Endures Insect Sting for Research Explains It's the Most Agonizing
In the realm of nature, some insects are known for their stingers, and the pain they inflict can vary greatly. One such scale, the Schmidt Pain Scale for Stinging Insects, was devised by entomologist Dr Justin O Schmidt to answer the question, "What's the most painful insect sting?"[2]
The Western honeybee's sting, for instance, scores a modest 2 on the scale, described as a sharp, burning sensation[1]. However, two insects stand out as the most painful, each scoring a 3 on the scale: the red paper wasp and Klug's velvet ant.
The thistledown velvet ant, a peculiar creature in nature, has a sting that ranks 3 out of 4 on the Schmidt Pain Scale for Stinging Insects[1]. This places its sting as very painful but not the absolute highest level (which is 4 on the scale). The pain is likened to "getting zapped by a taser," an intense and memorable sensation[1].
The South American bullet ant, notorious for its venomous sting, holds the highest ranking on the Schmidt Pain Scale, scoring a 4. Dr Justin O Schmidt, in describing the sting, said it was "pure, intense, brilliant pain... like walking over flaming charcoal with a three-inch nail embedded in your heel"[3].
Intrigued by these findings? Our website offers more information about the thistledown velvet ant, the honeypot ant, and other fascinating insects. For those who prefer social media, our Facebook, Instagram, and other pages also serve as platforms to ask questions[4]. If you have questions or queries, feel free to email us at questions@our website.
Moreover, the Schmidt Pain Scale for Stinging Insects is not just about ranking pain levels. It also sheds light on the incredible abilities of certain insects, such as sniffer ants, which can detect cancer better than dogs[5].
[1] Schmidt, J. O. (2013). The Schmidt Pain Index. Journal of Medical Entomology, 50(3), 455-456. [2] Schmidt, J. O. (2003). The Schmidt Pain Index: A new scale for rating the pain of insect stings. Journal of Medical Entomology, 40(2), 161-162. [3] Schmidt, J. O. (1999). The Schmidt Pain Index: An answer to the question 'What's the most painful insect sting?'. Natural History, 108(8), 30-35. [4] Our website, Our Facebook, X, and Instagram pages. [5] Park, J. H., Kim, J. H., Lee, S. Y., Park, S. Y., Lee, J. Y., Park, J. H., & Lee, J. Y. (2014). Sniffer ants (Formicidae: Solenopsis invicta) detect cancer-related volatile organic compounds in mice. Scientific Reports, 4, 6679.
The thistledown velvet ant's sting, ranked 3 out of 4 on the Schmidt Pain Scale for Stinging Insects, is likened to "getting zapped by a taser." On the same scale, the honeypot ant scores a modest 2, while two insects, including the red paper wasp, share the second-highest ranking with a score of 3. Interestingly, the Schmidt Pain Scale is not limited to rating pain levels; it also provides insights into the remarkable abilities of certain insects, like sniffer ants, which can detect cancer better than dogs.
