Top 10 Worst Insects to Get Bit or Stung By

Ticks

Ticks are external parasites that bury their heads into your skin and feed on blood. They can carry over 12 different diseases that are harmful or even deadly to humans and other animals. Diseases spread by ticks include Q Fever, Lyme Disease, and Typhus.

I moved to North Carolina when I was a 7-year-old girl. I had three ticks on me for three days. My parents took me to urgent care, where we spent three hours. I had one on my arm, one in my ear, and one in my... unmentionables. I'm still scared 13 years later.

I didn't know about this insect before I went through this list. But I voted for this because of THC13's description... I hope I never get bitten by ticks.

Mosquitoes

The word "mosquito" comes from Spanish and means "little fly." Mosquitoes are small flying insects known for transmitting numerous infectious diseases. These include malaria, yellow fever, chikungunya, West Nile virus, dengue fever, filariasis, and Zika virus, making them one of the deadliest animal... read more

More annoying than anything. They leave big red bumps that itch like crazy. However, I rank them high on this list because mosquitoes spread deadly diseases such as Malaria, Zika, West Nile, and Yellow Fever. Mosquitoes transmit various diseases to 700 million people each year, killing over 2 million. Because of this, they are considered the most dangerous animal on the planet.

Ants

Ants are eusocial insects of the family Formicidae and, along with related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. They evolved from wasp-like ancestors during the Cretaceous period and have since diversified into over 12,000 species. Ants are known for their complex social colonies and division... read more

Bite and sting. Double whammy. Bites and stings from common ants (Black Concrete Ants, Fire Ants, Red Ants) can be very painful. The Jack Jumper Ant's sting can be fatal to humans. Bullet Ants, which are found in Central and South America, are considered to have one of the most painful stings of any insect.

One night, I got into bed and everything was fine. The next morning, I was covered in ants, and so was my bed. There were so many of them that they were making a sound. I had so many bites that I had to go to the doctor (who did nothing for me). I was sick for days, and I didn't even have any food in my room, so I don't know why they came in there.

Wasps

Yellowjackets, Paper Wasps, Mud Wasps, Hornets, and Tarantula Hawks. Unlike bees, these little jerks can sting you multiple times. Their stings are more painful than dangerous, although some people might experience life-threatening anaphylactic shock.

I was stung by a yellow jacket when I was in 6th grade. It burned and itched for hours.

Wasps should be higher. They are the most annoying things besides mosquitoes.

Bees

Bees are flying insects in the order Hymenoptera that are essential for pollinating flowering plants. They play a vital role in agriculture and natural ecosystems by facilitating plant reproduction. Bees also produce honey and beeswax, and some species live in complex social colonies.

Bee stings are painful. Personally, I think they feel like someone putting out a cigarette on your skin. They can be fatal if you're allergic.
However, if you come across a hive of Africanized honey bees (killer bees), you're in serious danger. Killer bees are much more aggressive and very defensive of their hive. They will massively attack anything they feel threatened by, chasing and continuing to sting the threat for up to a quarter of a mile. In many cases, they will sting people and animals to death. Over 1,000 people have been killed by killer bees.

Assassin Bugs

Assassin bugs inject toxic saliva with their bites that liquefy the insides of their prey so it can be sucked out and ingested. Their bites can be very painful to humans. A species of assassin bug, nicknamed the kissing bug, is known to bite humans while they are sleeping, usually on the soft tissue areas of the face (lips, eyelids).

I hate these so much. They crawl on your face while you're sleeping, suck your blood, and then defecate on your face. You itch it, and it eventually spreads a neglected tropical parasite called Chagas Disease - one of the worst diseases ever. If you live in America, good luck sleeping.

Fleas

Fleas, classified under the order Siphonaptera, comprise about 2,500 species of small, wingless insects that are external parasites primarily of mammals and birds. These insects survive by feeding on the blood of their hosts using specialized mouthparts adapted for piercing skin and sucking blood. Adult... read more

A summertime annoyance, especially if you have pets. These bloodsuckers leave itchy red bumps when they bite and can be dangerous, as they are known to carry and spread the plague.
Some have theorized that the Black Death, which killed over a third of Europe's population between 1346-1353, was spread by fleas.

Every canine's and feline's worst nightmare.

Bed Bugs

These will wreck you in your sleep. People with infestations will wake up to multiple bites every morning, resulting in itchy, rashy skin. Thank God I've never experienced this. The good news is they don't spread diseases.

Potato Bugs

The Jerusalem Cricket. Huge, ugly, and creepy. They look alien. Although not venomous, they can inflict a very painful bite.

Hornets

Hornets are the largest of the eusocial wasps and are similar in appearance to their close relatives, yellowjackets. Some species can reach up to 5.5 cm in length. They typically build large nests and are known for their potent stings and aggressive defense behavior.

A hornet would be the worst to get stung by. I hope I never get stung by one.

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Giant Water Bugs (Belostomatidae)

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Bullet Ants

Yellow Jackets

Horse-flies

Even more painful than a regular fly. I always get bit by these when I go fishing.