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Ants nomads - the real life of tropical predators. Ant species The most aggressive ants

Features of the behavior of the ant family.

The life process of these arthropods has its own characteristic features that must be taken into account.

Most of all, people living in private houses or on the first or second floors of multi-storey buildings suffer from these pests.

It is especially necessary to single out wood-boring ants, whose mouthparts are adapted to gnaw wood: this is a serious threat to wooden houses and pieces of furniture and interior. By making multiple moves in the wood, they can create larger "chambers", spaces in which they build nests for life and reproduction.

If pests have settled in floors, then it will require serious financial and time costs for their elimination.

Insects can make a shelter inside electrical appliances, household appliances- this threatens them with breakage and the occurrence short circuit. There is a point of view that a colony based in such places can gnaw through wires and electrical cables.

These pests are omnivorous, they feed on everything they can get to:

• bread crumbs;
• cereals and cereals;
• meat;
• vegetables and fruits;
• very fond of sweets (sweets, products with sugar, honey, etc.).

Attention! They are able to eat even clothes (natural Leather Products and tissue), leading to its deterioration.

According to folk omens, the appearance of ants in the house is considered the beginning good changes in people's lives. This is due to the fact that insects are distinguished by their fertility, inexhaustible diligence and the ability to act for the sake of the home, to increase supplies for procreation and prosperity of the colony.

Pests can deliver real trouble to the inhabitants of an infected living space.

Bites and psychological discomfort.

Small size gives these creatures an advantage - they are able to get into almost any room; once a year, they even temporarily grow wings, which increases their ability to spread. The presence of communications and cavities in apartment buildings allows pests to move unnoticed and equip dwellings.

Speaking of ant poison, in addition to harm, it benefits, but only as part of medicinal preparations. The substances contained in it are used to treat:

• atherosclerosis;
• varicose veins;
• radiculitis;
• arthrosis and other joint problems;
• fractures.

But in everyday terms, ant poison can lead to health problems.

The most dangerous for the well-being of people are large forest ants, which can be found in the villages; in human dwellings, they appear by chance if they are introduced by a person (through clothing, personal items, etc.).

It is possible to distinguish red forest - individuals of this species are widespread in climatic conditions Russia. Their body has a protective function: a sting on the abdomen filled with formic acid. Arthropods spread the poisonous substance not only by contact, but also at a distance, throwing out acid for more than 30 cm. The skin turns red when the poison enters, the place swells, and a blister appears.

The following symptoms may also appear:

The stings of fire red ants leave thermal burns on the body. Sometimes two or three bites can pose a risk to a person's life, especially if the affected person is hypersensitive to certain substances.

Attention! In some cases, anaphylactic shock and coma may occur: only urgent hospitalization will help to avoid death.

When an allergic reaction occurs, the following symptoms appear:

• there is a cardiac arrhythmia, increased heart rate;
• speech becomes slurred, thinking is confused, a short loss of consciousness is possible;
• the skin turns pale;
• breathing becomes difficult;
• unconsciousness (may lead to coma).

A similar reaction is provoked by a toxin contained in the poison - the alkaloid solenopsin, there are hundreds of cases of death from it in the world.

If the bites of small red individuals are not too noticeable for an adult, then for a minor they are noticeable. There are cases of mass attacks of malicious &neighbors& on newborn children. The issue of eliminating the ant family should be given special attention if small children live in the house.

There are cases when the harmful activity of arthropods and the diseases they spread led to a delay in the mental and physical development of the child.

It must be borne in mind that insects can climb inside the human body when he is sleeping, through the ear canal and bring real harm for good health.

Malicious "companions" also bring aesthetic discomfort when, due to the deterioration of sanitary conditions in own house unpleasant to be

• small insects that are constantly striking;
• the remains of their life;
• spoiled food, etc.

Not only people, but also domestic animals suffer from arthropods. Small individuals may well lay eggs in the fur of pets, causing skin irritation and anxiety. Since ants are carriers of various infections, an animal can become infected from a bite and later become a carrier of viruses or bacteria that are pathogenic to humans.

In search of food, arthropods travel long distances and visit different places. Among them - garbage bins and toilets (including public ones). Migrating and settling in living rooms, domestic ants bring with them, on their paws, pathogens of various diseases, sometimes dangerous to human health.

They do not shun carrion: when they are in the attic or in the basement of the carcass of a dead rat, they can easily "eat" it, subsequently transferring the dirt and bacteria that they picked up to the rooms where adults and children live.

Moving along the surfaces that residents come into contact with (including tables, cabinets, beds, etc.), malicious &neighbors& spread, leaving behind the very bacteria and dirt brought from the garbage chute.

What diseases can provoke the activity of these insects?

Helminthiasis. Individuals often spread helminth eggs.

Attention! These worms pose a serious danger to children, especially young ones who are not yet able to walk and often put dirty fingers in their mouths.

In addition to humans, there is a danger to animals: some pathogens carried by insects pose a threat to the life of pets. Among the main ones:

Summing up this section, we can state with confidence that domestic ants are no less dangerous than flies or cockroaches, and require the most serious attitude from a person.

Unsanitary conditions and food spoilage.

These pests worsen the sanitary conditions in the home. In addition to the spread of pathogens, they can become a source of their reproduction:

• adults are constantly collecting food supplies, which they store in special storage facilities;
• these highly organized beings create "sumps" where rubbish and excrement are placed.

Attention! Deteriorating sanitary conditions increase the concentration of harmful microorganisms in the air and increase the risk of infection.

This is especially dangerous for kitchens and children's rooms, especially if the colony has chosen a place for a sump or food storage in these rooms.

By virtue of small size and constant search for food, ants penetrate into different places where food is stored, bite through packages, climb into containers that are not tightly closed, etc. And, of course, few people want to eat food "bitten" by pests, besides, it can be harmful to health.

Correct actions after an ant sting.

After a bite, urgent action must be taken to neutralize the toxin and disinfect the wound.

Remove the harmful insect and find the bite itself: a blister appears on the skin.

Severe itching and extensive redness can be removed with the help of balms or ointments that are sold in a pharmacy:

If a person feels the symptoms of an allergic reaction, then he needs to immediately call an ambulance.

The first thing an allergy sufferer needs to take is an antihistamine:

People who have strong reactions to formic acid should have a so-called anaphylactic package:

1. Harness.
2. Drug for blocking histamine receptors (antihistamines).
3. Adrenaline syringe tube.

This first aid kit will help give the body a boost of energy and neutralize the effects of the toxin.

It is easier to survive an ant bite and folk remedies will help:

• water and baking soda: make a gruel, and apply it to the blister and reddened skin;
• water and ammonia: mix in equal proportions, lubricate the bite;
• mix activated charcoal with a small amount of water until a paste is obtained. Lubricate the blister with plenty of it and wrap it up plastic wrap for 30-60 minutes;
• attach a tissue or cotton swab dipped in milk to the sore spot;
• make a lotion with tincture of echinacea purpurea;
• anoint the bite site with mint, for example, mint toothpaste;
• wipe the blister and the area around it with onion juice (freshly cut onion).

From the text it becomes clear that domestic ants are by no means such harmless creatures as it might seem at first. Irresponsible attitude to your home and, as a result, non-observance of hygiene rules is the first factor that attracts insects to human habitation. Now the reader knows how dangerous these pests are, knows basic recommendations that reduce the risk. The information indicated in the article will help develop the correct attitude towards these pests.

ukp55.ru

Killer Ants: The Most Dangerous Ants

Ants are small and nimble insects that many people associate with industriousness. Despite their small body size, these insects can carry several times their weight. In nature, there are many varieties of ants. There are individuals that are completely harmless, but there are also dangerous ants that can harm human health. They will be discussed in this article.

Varieties of dangerous ants

The danger of some varieties of ants lies in the fact that their body contains poison that is deadly to humans. The good news is that there are not many dangerous species of these insects in nature. But human fear sometimes draws terrifying pictures of the attack of hordes of ants that kill a person.

This is interesting! Acute allergic reaction, provoked by the bite of a poisonous ant, often becomes fatal.

Of course, many of these ideas have no real basis, but, nevertheless, poisonous ants still exist in nature. Scientific researchers prefer not to use the common name killer ants, giving these insects less critical nicknames.

Army ants (Siafu army ants)

Nomadic Ant Siafu

Army ants, also called siafu, soldiers or Australian ants, are characterized by the following hallmarks:

1. Powerful jaws with which these insects destroy everything that comes in their path.
2. The absence of a permanent anthill in a colony of nomadic ants. For most of their lives, insects of this species roam, for which they are endowed with another name by the people - wandering killer ants.
3. The habitat becomes a temporary dwelling - a bivouac, built by working individuals, connecting with each other with their jaws. Outwardly, the bivouac is a chaotic sphere, inside which, nevertheless, ideal order reigns.

The soldier ant scares people with its appearance, which is truly awesome. The jaws of the insect are larger in size than the head. Yes, and the size of the body of a nomadic ant is much larger than that of ordinary individuals, and is up to one and a half cm in length. But the female nomadic ant is considered especially huge, whose body length during the laying of eggs is about 5 cm. Such body parameters make it the largest insect of this species in the world.

In general, the danger of army ants is exaggerated by people. They, of course, can attack, leaving on human body painful bites that provoke the appearance of severe allergic reactions. However, no cases of death from stings of siafu ants have been recorded. The basis of the diet of this species is:

• other small and large insects;
• lizards;
• bird chicks;
• frogs.

bullet ants

bullet ant

The bullet ant is so named because of the strong bites that provoke incredible pain in the affected area. The venom of ants of this variety contains in its composition the strongest toxin called poneratoxin. Immediately after the bite, the pain persists for at least 24 hours.

The bullet ant is one of the largest insects of this species. body length working individual the bullet is approximately 2 - 2.5 cm, and in females - up to 3 cm.

Bullet ants live mainly in South America and are even used by Indian tribes to conduct the rite of male initiation. The boys wear a bracelet hung with live bullet ants on their arm. After their bites, the child's hand remains paralyzed for several days, and in it there is not only a loss of sensitivity, but also blackening of the skin at the bites.

Bulldog Ants

Bulldog Ant

It is known about bulldog ants that they are quite large individuals, but it was not their body size that made them popular in the world, but their toxicity.

Black bulldog ants bite painfully, and their bites often provoke the development of severe allergic reactions. Approximately 3% of bitten people experienced anaphylactic shock. It is impossible to guess the reaction of the human body to bites in advance. The active components of the venom of a bulldog ant differ from those contained in the composition of the venom of wasps or bees.

fire ant

fire ant

Fire ants are characterized by such distinctive features:

1. After their bites, a large number of people die.
2. Mortality from bites is about 20 cases in just one year.
3. The bite of a fire ant provokes the development of a tumor and a strong burning sensation in the affected area.
4. Their habitat is extensive and is represented by the countries of Europe, America and Asia.
5. Death can occur as a result of an allergic reaction.
6. Insects have the ability to quickly adapt to new conditions of existence, and very quickly settle in new territories.
7. Not only people, but also animals (wild or domestic) suffer from fire ant bites.

During the bite, the fire ant injects the toxin solenopsin into the wound on the human body.

This is interesting! The fire ant got its name because the pain from its bite on the Schmidt scale corresponds to the pain after a burn with an open fire.

yellow ant

yellow ant

Yellow ants at first glance are absolutely safe, they have small size body. But at the same time, they are among the most poisonous insects on the entire planet. The habitat of yellow ants is limited only to the US state of Arizona. The main distinguishing features of a yellow ant bite are:

• the appearance of a large tumor at the site of the bite;
• a high probability of human death after being bitten by a yellow ant;
• the development of a severe allergic reaction;
• one bite of a yellow ant will be enough to kill a creature weighing about 2 kg.

Red Harvester

Ant Red Harvester

Red Harvester is an aggressive and very dangerous species of poisonous ants that lives in the US state of Arizona. The main symptom of the bite of this ant is the appearance of a tumor, as well as severe allergies, which can be fatal.

The most dangerous ant in the world

The bullet ant is one of the most dangerous species of insects of this type. Their main habitat is tropical forests stretching from Paraguay to Nicaragua. This insect lives mainly on trees. An interesting fact is that the bullet ant knows how to scream, and does it every time it feels the approach of danger to its dwelling, located in the middle of the branches of trees.

The story of a certain ritual performed by aborigines from Indian tribes has already been mentioned above. It involves the initiation of young boys into adulthood. It happens as follows: a teenager who has reached the age of majority receives as a gift a small wicker cape sewn from fresh leaves, into which hundreds of ants are woven. The interweaving of insects occurs with stings inward, and when a young man puts his hands into this bandage, many ants sting him mercilessly. The task of the young man is to hold out in such a robe for 10 minutes. For that a short time the arms become completely paralyzed, and the whole body trembles with spasms for several days. But the test doesn't end there. To prove that he is a real man, a young man from an Indian tribe will have to pass a similar test about 20 times.

bezbukashek.ru

The most poisonous ants in the world

Ants are the most common insects in the world. Among the representatives of this species of arthropods, there are also poisonous ants, the bite of which is fatal to humans. Most of them are found in the tropical forests of South and Central America and South-East Asia, on the African continent and in Australia.

On the European continent and in Russia, there are no ants that are dangerous to humans. However, the bites of red forest ants, common in Russian forests, are dangerous for people suffering from allergic diseases, and in some cases can provoke the development of coma and anaphylactic shock.

• Species dangerous to humans
• poisonous ants
• Russian representatives

Species dangerous to humans

The poisonous threat of many species of ants is greatly exaggerated, but there are still several varieties whose bite is very dangerous for humans. Below are several species of these insects, the meeting with which is fraught with disastrous consequences for people:

1. Bullet ant. This name was given to these most dangerous ants in the world due to the ability to hit warm-blooded animals like a bullet. In terms of danger, these insects rank second in the world. Their habitats are tropical trees, from which they "dive" on the victim, approaching their nests. The body of the insect is quite large, reaching 3 cm in length, and is covered with thin needle-like spines. Color dark reddish brown. A feature of these predators is the supply sound signal before the attack, warning potential victim about danger. If the warning is ignored, the insect attacks, inflicting pain from a bite comparable to being hit by a bullet. Painful sensations last for a day, for which they received another name among the natives of Central America - "ant 24 hours." For people suffering from allergic reactions, the bite of this insect can be a deadly threat. The poison contained in it paralyzes the affected limbs, causing severe pain and convulsions. If several individuals attack at once, a lethal outcome is very likely.
2. Wandering or nomadic ants. In America, they are also called "army". These insects are nomadic, moving in search of food. A distinctive feature of this species are powerful and sharp jaws, with the help of which the insect deals with the victim. These man-eating ants, found in South America and Africa, pose a serious threat to human dwellings, and the only way to escape from them is by fire or flight.
3. Fire ants. These pests were recently brought to America from Brazil and have already gained fame as one of the most dangerous representatives of the insect class. Their bite is like a fiery burn, causing redness and swelling of the affected area. They live in the countries of America, Europe and Asia and very quickly adapt to different conditions existence, populating all new territories. After their bites, which cause a severe allergic reaction, swelling, nausea, vomiting and dizziness may occur. During the year, about 20 deaths from the bites of these insects are recorded.

poisonous ants

Some species are less dangerous to humans, but are also poisonous. Among them:

1. Bulldog Ants. Large insects with multi-toothed mandibles, having a black, red, orange or brown color and reaching 3 cm in length. They nest in the ground or in trees. With the help of a strong sting, they strike the victim, causing severe and prolonged pain from the bite, lasting several days. In some cases, bites provoke an allergic reaction, sometimes leading to anaphylactic shock.
2. Yellow ant. Despite their small size, these insects are among the most poisonous on the planet. They live in the US state of Arizona. After their bite, a strong allergic reaction is possible. For small animals, they pose a mortal threat: one bite is enough to kill a small animal weighing up to 2 kg.
3. Reaper Ant (Red Harvester). A species of stinging ants common in America, Asia and Europe, which has one of the most powerful poisons among arthropods. The bite of this insect causes a burning sensation, and the affected area swells. An allergic reaction is possible. About 20 deaths from its bites are recorded annually.

Russian representatives

But at the slightest danger, these insects turn into a real instrument of torture. Their numerous bites provoke allergic reactions, accompanied by itching, redness and swelling in the affected areas. There are frequent cases of dizziness, nausea and vomiting. Allergy sufferers may develop swelling of the face and throat, and speech impairment. In some cases, anaphylactic shock is noted. Eye burns with formic acid are comparable to chemical ones and are just as dangerous.

To eliminate negative symptoms, antihistamines are used, and ice should be applied to the affected areas.

Ants living in residential premises do not pose a poisonous danger, however, they are real pests and peddlers. infectious diseases. They begin their existence from the time of the Egyptian pharaohs, therefore they are sometimes called "pharaonic". These pests can cause a lot of trouble, and it can be quite difficult to exterminate them: people have to invent more and more new means of controlling insects that have developed strong immunity to various insecticides over the years of their existence.

The diversity of the world of insects and the properties attributed to them sometimes inspire people with mystical horror. There are legends about the existence of mutant insects in areas of high radiation, underground and in the laboratories of scientists. It is sometimes difficult to separate truth from fiction, but those who are interested in the diverse world of insects will have to face the mysterious properties of these eternal human companions more than once.

zelenplaneta.ru

Common red ants, danger and bullying

• Why are red ants dangerous?
• How should one fight?

The red subspecies of ants, like their other brethren, live colonially. Due to the impressive number of populations, these pests are able to create quite serious problems civilian population. Certain colonies may even consist of a million adults, which, at the same time, actively reproduce.

The larger the ant population, the higher the danger. Practice shows that the most dangerous situations arise if a large population of these insects lives in a small area. They actively move around the staple foods that are intended for people, which certainly does not make food safe. A variety of bacteria carried by red ants may well lead to the development of quite serious diseases in the human body.

Causes of pests:

• the presence of dirt in the room;
• lack of regular general cleaning;
• control of red ants in next door or apartment;
• accidental hit due to carelessness of the owners of the premises.

From the information presented above, we can conclude that even people who constantly monitor the cleanliness of their own home are not protected from red ants getting into it. Poor sanitation among neighbors may well be the reason for the migration of insects. If processing has begun in neighboring apartments, then pests begin to migrate more actively to those places where they have not yet begun to be destroyed.

How should one fight?

If such unpleasant neighbors are wound up, then it is necessary to move on to specific methods of struggle. Particular attention in this case must be given to the nest where the female colony is located. The problem may lie in finding the place of residence of the ants. It is also necessary to destroy working individuals. It is enough to feed them with poisoned food. Worker ants will also share the poison with their fellows, which will significantly increase the number of victims in the end. For baiting pests, you can pick up many modern poisonous chemicals. In this situation, it can help boric acid, because it is able to effectively corrode the chitinous coating.

At the word ant, almost everyone will have a picture of an ordinary small, black ant of small size, well, or of its red forest counterpart.

However, among the large number of these insects, there are also ants that, despite their small size, are able to sow horror and panic not only among people, but also among animals. It's about about an army ant soldier.

The appearance of the "soldier"

Length adult the soldier ant is equal to - 1.5 cm. Among other representatives of this family, these are rather large insects.

The body of the army ant itself has a dark red color, covered with fine hairs in the color of the body, the head is several tones lighter. Despite having eyes, this ant sees absolutely nothing. In addition, the insect is equipped with powerful, sharp and massive mandibles, the size of which is equal to half of its body. It is these adaptations in ants that have the destructive effect of all living things, and it does not matter what size they are.

Habitat of the army ant

The species lives in the Amazon.

The families that exist today live in the channels of the Amazon.

Army Ant Lifestyle

In their own way, these insects are unique creations of nature. They do not need any anthills, and they do not build them, as they are insect nomads. They got their name due to the fact that about a million individuals are part of the ant colony, in fact, this is just a mobile battalion. While the queen is busy breeding offspring, the ants scour the entire area in order to provide themselves and the future generation with food.

Soldier ants don't need any anthills.

Another feature that sets them apart from other ants is their ability to use their bodies to create organic architectural structures. Clinging to each other, they form any structure that will be used for the benefit of the entire colony. These are not only living "walls" that protect offspring and their queen from bad weather, but also bridges that make it possible to overcome any obstacle.

reproduction

When the time comes for the queen to lay eggs, the number of which can reach several thousand, the entire ant colony stops for a halt. After small larvae are born from the eggs, the column, carefully lifting them, again begins its movement, bringing death and ruin on its way.

Ants are these tiny workers who have always delighted and amazed people. Insects are able to organize their work to the smallest detail. Moreover, each inhabitant of the anthill has its own duties. In nature, there are more than 14,000 species of these insects. And not all of them are useful. There are killer ants that pose a serious danger to human life. It is about them that will be discussed in this article.

On a note!

Insects with a bloodthirsty disposition include fire and nomadic ants, the bullet ant and the Australian bulldog ant. can provoke an allergic reaction, the consequence of which can be suffocation and fatal intoxication of the body.

Nomad ants, or as they are also called siafu ants, are insects that are used to roaming. They do not build anthills, but prefer to travel from one territory to another in a large column. That is why they are also called wandering killer ants.

The width of a string of insects can be more than a dozen meters. Towards the end, the column narrows, and becomes like a tail up to 45 m long. Stray ants usually make such forced marches during daylight hours, covering about 300 meters in an hour. Their habitat is Africa, North and South America, Central and South Asia.

During the movement of nomadic ants, everyone they meet on their way disappears. It can be not only wood lice, caterpillars or running beetles. African ants killers are able to easily attack even small animals: a mouse, a snake, a frog or a lizard. They still can't eat a human. But the consequence of extremely painful bites of a nomadic ant can be a severe allergic reaction.

Nomads became famous not only for their formidable disposition, but also for their size, which allowed them to take one of the top positions in the ranking. Army ant soldiers, responsible for protecting their kin, usually walk at the edge of the column. These are rather large insects, the body length of which reaches up to 15 mm. A frightening appearance is given to them by jaws, the size of which is much larger than the head of a nomad. The female is much larger than the male: the length of her body during the laying of eggs is up to 50 mm. A photo of the nomad is presented below.

In the middle part of the line, nomadic workers move, who carry the future offspring and food on their bodies. With the advent of night, insects, clinging to each other with their paws, build a nest for their own.

On a note!

Huge body size is not the only feature of female ant nomads. Females are also champions during breeding seasons. Every day they lay 100-130 thousand eggs. There is no more fertile insect in nature.

are the most dangerous ants in the world. Black insects are considered one of the largest. The body size of a working bulldog reaches a length of up to 40 mm, the uterus is slightly larger - about 45 mm. A feature of these representatives are powerful jaws. They are quite long and have notches along the edge, which allows insects to easily capture prey. Below in the photo you can see what a dangerous termite looks like.

Bulldog ants are poisonous ants. Another feature of these insects is a powerful sting, the bite of which can be fatal. So a person who is located next to an anthill exposes himself to great danger. After all, several working individuals are usually on duty at the entrance to the entrance. In the presence of danger, they immediately signal this to their relatives.

According to statistics, many people die from the bites of these cannibals. more people than from attacks by snakes, spiders and even sharks.

On a note!

Surprising is the fact that bulldog ants are able to carry on themselves a load 50 times greater than the own weight of the insect.

Representatives of this species have a bright color, which served as the basis for their name. As a result of a bite, synopsin, a poisonous substance that causes severe chemical burns, penetrates into the human body. Pain from a pest bite is identical to an open flame burn. The consequence of such a skin lesion is usually an allergic reaction, and anaphylactic shock is also possible.

Insects usually attack a person in a group if he poses a danger to their anthill. Not one thousand people suffer from merciless pest bites every year. After a bite, blisters and swelling appear on the body of the victim, from which scars form after several days. There is nausea and vomiting, dizziness and an allergic reaction.

On a note!

The habitat of such a termite is the territory of America. IN last years you can meet a fire ant killer in Russia.

bullet ants

- Insects got this name because of their behavior. During an insect bite, a person feels unbearable pain, commensurate with a gunshot wound. The poison of representatives of this species contains poneratoxin - a toxic substance that causes severe pain. Usually the pain syndrome persists throughout the day. As a result, another name “ant 24 hours” stuck to the insects. During this time, the victim suffers in agony, accompanied by unbearable pain and convulsions.

The body length of working individuals usually does not exceed 25 mm, the uterus is slightly larger (up to 30 mm). Distributed representatives of this species in South America. Their favorite habitat is trees, from the crown of which pests attack their prey. Falling from the branches, they emit a kind of squeak, which serves as a signal for their relatives. As a result, not one, not even ten individuals, but a whole ant colony attacks the victim.

yellow ants

Yellow ants are also among the most poisonous insect species in the world. You can only meet them in Arizona. The consequence of ant bites is not only the formation of a large swelling and the development of allergies, but also the likelihood of a person's death is high. There are also in Russian latitudes, but this is a completely different species - Lasius Flavus, which migrated from India in the 19th century.

After microorganisms and plankton, insects are the most numerous representatives of life on Earth. Most of them are completely harmless, funny in appearance, but there are those who meet with no good. Many types of insects cause a real phobia in some, because their appearance is not only unattractive, but even repulsive. However, the TOP 10 most dangerous insects in the world did not necessarily have to include the most terrible-looking “monsters”, sometimes a harmless bug, ant or caterpillar that looks quite attractive can threaten human health and even his life much more.

2. Red fire ants

Red fire ants scientists have attributed to the most dangerous and aggressive types of biting insects. Their coloration is reddish-brown, and the bite of the victim resembles a burning sensation of fire, hence the word "fiery" in the name. The size of these ants is small - 2-6 mm. The historical range of these insects was located in the central part of South America, but a person accidentally took them to different places in the world, where they entrenched. For a person suffering from allergies, the strong poison and powerful sting of the red fire ant is a serious danger. At the site of the bite, a person has a feeling of exposure to an open flame, which only intensifies over time. An attack follows in case the termites feel a threat to their anthill. Then whole group an ant begins an attack and mercilessly stings the victim. Every year about 30 people die from their bites.

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3. Lonomy

Among the slow and seemingly indifferent caterpillars there are also dangerous creatures. The caterpillar of the small nocturnal moth, Lonomia, lives in the rainforests of South America and is nicknamed "the lazy clown" by the locals. This hairy caterpillar is remarkably camouflaged among the greenery, so you can accidentally suffer from contact with it. The caterpillar has a very attractive appearance - bright, beautiful, covered on all sides with long villi. But they also contain the strongest toxin, which is so strong that the affected person's blood clotting is very quickly disturbed, the kidneys fail, hemorrhage in the brain and other organs may occur. Red blood cells begin to break down, multiple organ hemorrhage occurs. Outwardly, this is expressed in the appearance of large bruises on the skin.
If a person manages to “stroke” several of these caterpillars at once, then he will almost certainly die - a massive cerebral hemorrhage will quickly begin, which will lead to a stroke and death of the victim. Unfortunately, Lonomia caterpillars often appear in orchards, where Brazilian farmers accidentally stumble upon them. As a result, 10-30 people die a year, and many more remain disabled.

4 Giant Hornet

Giant hornets live in many places in Asia: in China, India, Nepal, Korea, Japan, and even in our Primorsky Territory, such individuals were noticed. The length of these giants can exceed 5 centimeters, they have very powerful jaws and an impressive length (6 mm) sting, with which they easily pierce human skin. Such an aggressive predator attacks for no particular reason, and it is very difficult to fight him off without outside help. Attacking, the hornet repeatedly uses its sting, injecting a new portion of poison with each prick. He acts very painfully, while also destroying muscle tissue. One Japanese entomologist who was attacked by such a hornet described its bite as the impact of a red-hot nail. Every year, 30-70 people die from the bites of a giant hornet.

Animals, like many people, adhere to one law - the strongest survive. Despite the exhortations of scientists who claim that the brothers...

5 Army Ants

There are a huge number of ant species in the world, and many of them are very dangerous. These include army soldier ants, which are a specialized caste of worker ants and termites. Lack of vision only makes them more dangerous, for they attack everything that has flesh and blood - a fly, an elephant or a person. These fighters move in colonies, and they don’t build anthills, so getting caught in their way will not seem enough. This type of ant has a large body, reaching 3 centimeters. They are armed with powerful long mandibles, which easily open the flesh. Having made a hole, the ants climb into the wound and continue to destroy the tissues, which causes incredible pain to the victim. They were even figuratively called "living death." A colony of such ants would be able to gnaw an elephant in a week, and there will be a lot of a day for a person.

6 Africanized Killer Bee

The main danger of these bees is their aggressiveness and desire to capture new territories. If ordinary bees do not attack without a threat to the hive, then a mixture of African bees with other bees attacks everything that moves nearby. They do it in swarms, and the poison of each individual is not weaker than that of a snake. One such killer bee great harm will not bring, but if it is a swarm, then the victim will begin a strong allergic reaction, quickly developing into anaphylactic shock, which most often ends in death. It is difficult to distinguish a human-bred bee from an ordinary honey bee. Their danger lies in their high ability to assimilate to new conditions, therefore, having appeared in Brazil, they gradually spread throughout America, and then headed east, destroying other species of bees.

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7. Tsetse fly

This African fly also belongs to the most dangerous insect of the world, because it is capable of transmitting to a person when bitten by the causative agent of sleeping sickness. This disease has been known for a long time, but doctors have not found reliable way deal with her. As the disease progresses, a person experiences significant impairment in work nervous system, drowsiness is observed, consciousness becomes confused. In the most severe cases, coma and subsequent death can occur. According to statistics, about half a million people south of the Sahara have already been infected with this disease, and most of them face an agonizing long death.

8 Bullet Ant

Another most dangerous representative of ants from South and Central America, which arranges its nests on the basis of trees, in the crowns of which these ants forage, and, if necessary, dive on victims. Bullet ants have a very strong toxin (stronger than any bee or wasp). They inject it with a powerful sting up to 3.5 mm long. A terrible pain from a bite, resembling pain from a gunshot wound, a person experiences throughout the day, so these insects are also called "ants-24 hours". During this time, a person experiences severe torment and severe convulsions. A number of Indian tribes living in tropical forests have preserved the rite of initiation for boys, in which a special mitten is put on their hand for 10 minutes, where bullet ants are fixed there. Feelings are about the same as if a person put his hand into a pile of hot coals. After that, for some time, the initiate is paralyzed, and the bitten limb turns black.

9. Triatomine bugs

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Nomadic ants, regularly migrating in millions of colonies, live in the tropical zone of Africa, Asia and America. Insects do not build permanent nests; their settled phase of life lasts no more than 2-3 weeks. They move during the day, for an overnight stay they arrange a bivouac from own bodies, in the center of which is the uterus. The horde, passing 1-3 km, does not leave anything alive behind. Powerful mandibles butcher not only insects, but small mammals and birds. Stray ants are called killers, often exaggerating their danger.

Description

Several related groups of true ants share a similar lifestyle, called the nomad ant syndrome. Their characteristic- regular migrations. Numerous colonies of insects, reaching several million, move within 1-2 weeks. With them they carry eggs, larvae, the queen. Nomadic individuals do not build anthills, clinging bodies, they arrange a nest for numerous family members and a queen.

Nomad ants

adult

The body of an adult ant consists of three sections: head, thorax (mesosoma) and abdomen. The stalk connecting the thoracic segments and the abdomen is called the petiole. The chitinous exoskeleton protects and supports the body of the insect. On the head of the ant are antennae, consisting of 8-10 segments. These are the sense organs that capture vibrations, chemical odors.

Interesting fact. Most wandering ants do not have organs of vision or they are greatly reduced. Blind insects navigate in space with the help of antennae. They communicate with each other by secreting pheromones.

The upper jaws of mandible ants differ in size, but are always well developed. In working individuals, they are designed to carry eggs and larvae, food. For soldiers, this is a powerful weapon. Strong mandibles help tear apart enemies. Insects have 3 pairs of legs, on the legs there are claws that help move along vertical surface. The abdomen of some species ends in a sting.

Interesting fact. Soldier ants of the genus Dorylus do not open their closed jaws even after death.

Communication system

There are 75 glands in the body of an ant, they secrete various substances, including pheromones and repellents. Nomadic species have dozens of special signal odors produced in various situations. With the help of pheromones, scouts indicate the direction of movement of the entire column, report the location of the prey.

Ant hierarchy

The family of nomad ants consists of hundreds of thousands or millions of individuals. All of them obey a strict hierarchy and act as a single harmonious organism. The basis of a large colony is made up of worker ants. These are infertile females. Specialized groups are formed from them: workers, foragers, scouts, soldiers. Males are several times larger than representatives of the working caste. The main figure of the family is the queen. She is the only female involved in the birth of new members of the colony. The life of a queen is 15-20 years.

A significant part of the family is the brood - eggs, larvae, pupae. The workers take care of it. In the family, responsibilities are clearly divided, each insect is busy with its own work. A highly organized colony is able to build bridges and nests from the bodies of ants, resist enemies, and hunt.

Classification

There are three subfamilies of tropical nomad ants in the world. The main classification occurs according to the habitat:

1. Aenictus are small to medium sized insects found in Asia, Australia and Africa. Working individuals are yellow-brown in color, their body length does not exceed 3.5 mm. Males and females of the genus are much larger, reaching 25 mm. Differences are also manifested in the anatomical structure - in worker ants, the stalk between the chest and abdomen consists of two segments, in males and females of one. The subfamily united about 180 species.
2. Dorylinae - the main regions of habitat - tropical Asia and Africa. A large group includes 800 species. The most famous genus is Dorylus. Depending on the hierarchy, ants vary considerably in size. Workers 3 mm, soldiers 13 mm, males 30 mm, females up to 50 mm. The number of individuals in one migrating colony is about 20 million.
3. Ecitoninae - insects are found in the New World in the United States, southern border habitats - Argentina and Chile. American predators spend the bulk of their lives traveling and hunting. During migration, places in the column are clearly distributed. Worker ants move in the middle and carry offspring. The soldiers on the sides protect their relatives from the attack of enemies. Coloration of adults from brown to black.

Lifestyle

Nomadic ant syndrome manifests itself in the behavior and reproduction of insects. Its signs:

• collective foraging;
• construction of temporary nest bivouacs;
• regular change of phases of settlement and migration;
• subordination of the reproductive cycle to the schedule of movement of the colony.

A family numbering several million requires a huge amount of food. It is unrealistic to get it in one place, so insects constantly migrate. The movement of the column of insects is like a running stream. Its width is 30-100 cm, length is up to 45 m. Nomads on different continents differ in the speed of movement. African ants Dorylinae - 20 m/h, American Ecitoninae - 100-150 m/h.

With the onset of dusk, the construction of the bivouac begins. A temporary nest in the form of a ball of the bodies of workers is built in a secluded place. The queen and offspring are placed inside. The bivouac has several entrances. The bivouac is about 1 meter in diameter and requires 500-700 thousand ants to build. African siafu ants dig nests in soft ground. Blind diggers quickly prepare a shelter for a huge family of up to 20 million individuals. Their distinguishing feature- lack of remorse. It is replaced by powerful mandibles, painful bites cause inconvenience even to elephants. Jaws easily cut the covers of insects and animals, tear off pieces of flesh from them.

Nomad ants at any age eat exclusively meat food. For small larvae hunters get spiders, caterpillars, beetles, locusts, scorpions. Birds that build nests on the ground, small vertebrates (lizards, snakes, rodents) become victims of predators. The colony cleans the found corpses of large animals, leaving behind only bones.

Reproduction features

The reproductive function of the colony is entrusted to the queen's uterus. Tropical nomad ants have one queen, other species may have several. A large winged female mates with a male during the first flight. For the rest of her life, she uses up the stored sperm. An adult fertilized queen sheds her wings. She is always under the protection of worker ants. During movement, the cylindrical elongated abdomen of the female is slender. When hundreds of thousands of eggs ripen, it swells. By the beginning of the stationary phase, the larvae turn into cocoons and do not require food. All meat obtained by hunters is given to the queen.

Ants belong to Hymenoptera With complete transformation. This means that their life begins with the egg phase, then the larva appears. Ants turn into adults after pupation. The formation of eggs begins during the period of settled life. The fecundity of the female is 200-300 thousand pieces. The embryonic period lasts up to three weeks. By the time of the new migration, larvae appear from the eggs.

This process is also synchronized with the development of pupae; adults appear from the cocoons of the previous clutch. To feed the larvae, the colony sets off. By the time of their pupation, the column finds a place to stay.

Once a year, the queen makes a special clutch, from which reproductive females and males emerge. With age, they leave the family and form their own colonies.

Benefit and danger to humans

The beneficial actions of stray insects do not exclude danger to humans. Once on the path of the colony, a person runs the risk of being bitten by hundreds of individuals. Army ants do not bite prey immediately. They crawl under clothes in large numbers and act on a signal. For people prone to allergies, such an attack ends in anaphylactic shock. Attacks on humans and animals are rare. The main prey of ants is other insects. Tropical wandering ants clear the forests of animal corpses, destroy sick and weak individuals.