Insect specialists, entomologists, have never made a definitive ranking on this subject. After all, this is an almost impossible mission given the dizzying number of insect species: almost 1 million have already been catalogued, but scientists estimate that the total number on the planet could reach 10 million! The Insecta class alone represents three Fours of all animal life on Earth. It’s definitely not much. But the amount is not the only obstacle to reach the list of the most dangerous, as not all insects pose the same type of risk. “To answer that question, we first have to divide them into groups. Some are dangerous because they transmit diseases, but there are also poisonous ones and those that are considered pests, causing damage to agriculture”, says biologist Osmar Malaspina, from the São Paulo State University (Unesp), in Rio Claro (SP). With Osmar’s help, we have separated three insects for each of these categories on these pages. They are species that do not give rest to another being much less numerous on the planet: man.
At the bookshop:
Dangerous Insects – Missy Allen, Chelsea House, 1992
Insects – Practical Guide – Rebeca Kingsley, Nobel Prize, 1999
On the Internet:
www.infoplease.com/spot/insects1.html
Major disease vectors
aedes aegypti
An old acquaintance of Brazilians, this mosquito transmits dengue and yellow fever, diseases that can become epidemic and keep our health authorities up at night during the summer. Only those infected with dengue add up to 100 million per year, according to the WHO
anopheles darlingi
This mosquito is the main transmitter of malaria, which, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), is the disease that causes the most social and economic problems in the world. Parasites of the genus Plasmodium are transmitted to humans through the bite of Anopheles
Panstrongylus megistus and Triatoma infestans
Most people with Chagas disease are bitten by one of these insects, called kissing bugs. The protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, present in the feces of these species, enters the blood through wounds opened by kissing bugs. There are about 5 million victims of the disease in Brazil alone
the most poisonous
oblique lonomia
This caterpillar’s body is covered with thorny hairs that release a powerful venom. The substance inhibits blood clotting in victims and causes bleeding that can lead to death. The animal is common in Brazil, mainly in the South and Southeast regions.
mandarin wasp
Along with bees, wasps kill more humans than any other venomous animal. Of the 500 wasp species, about 300 have venom. The mandarin reaches almost 5 centimeters and flies at 36 km/h. Lucky for us, it’s more common in Japan.
Apis mellifera
The popular bees seem harmless, but they are dangerous because, in addition to being irritable, they tend to attack in groups. When someone receives multiple bites, the excess venom can cause kidney failure and acute anemia. The more stings, the greater the risk of death.
the biggest pests
bemisia tabaci
The whitefly has already been caught reproducing in 506 plant species, including tomatoes and cotton. The insect is so named because of its whitish color and is a threat to agriculture in tropical and temperate regions on all continents.
Schistocerca gregaria and Locusta migratoria
Since biblical times, locusts have attacked crops all over the world and these are two of the most destructive species. A cloud of such insects can have up to 50 million individuals, which can consume around 80 tons of leaves in a single day!
Ant of the genus Atta
Considered by many specialists to be the worst pest of Brazilian agriculture, the ants have great destructive potential, especially in areas reforested with eucalyptus and pine trees. They only live in the Americas