Dangerous Insects
Dangerous Australian Insects
Although spiders are not insects, they have been included in this list.
Flies
The common house fly can carry as much as six million bacteria on its feet. They can spread many deadly diseases to humans.
Mosquitoes
In Australia, mosquitoes can spread diseases such as encephalitis, dengue fever and Ross River fever.
European Honeybee
The painful sting results in localised pain and swelling, however many people can have an allergic reaction.
Ants
Some ants can cause a painful sting, and others can spit formic acid into a wound from a bite. People may have an allergic reaction to the bite or sting.
Wasps
Wasps can cause a painful sting and local pain and swelling. People with an allergic reaction can have more severe complications.
Paralysis Tick (Ixodes holocyclus)
Found on the east coast of Australia, usually in bushland. The tick can attach itself to humans, injecting venom that is produced in its salivary glands. Local numbness occurs around the site of attachment. This can be fatal to babies and small to medium sized animals.
Red Back Spider
According to one study carried out, the most common activity humans do to get bitten by a red back spider was to put on shoes! This accounted for 28% of all bites, where a spider has crawled into a shoe unknowing to the owner!. In the same study, the bite is recorded to be the most painful out of cupboard spiders/huntsman spiders/wolf spiders/white-tail spiders/mouse spiders and trapdoor spiders. It also had a duration of pain of 36 hours, the second longest duration was 6 hours of the cupboard spider (Isbister & White, 2004).
Trapdoor Spider
42% of all trapdoor spider bites (in one particular study) have happened whilst in the garden (Isbister & White, 2004).
Sydney Funnel-web Spider
Common Misconceptions
White-tail Spiders have popped in and out of the media over the years, with reports of nectrotic arachnidism (which can be a mild skin disorder, or in extreme cases require skin grafting of large areas of skin).
After 130 confirmed white-tail bites there were no cases of necrotic ulcers, only pain from the bite and a red mark lasting less than 24 hours (Ibid).
Some insects can indeed be dangerous if provoked, even causing some people to dread just thinking about the little creatures. Some also develop phobias, just like arachnophobia, but there is no real need to fear the whole species. However, people who have anxiety can start adjusting their prejudices by playing video games or watching documentaries about insects. If you go over to this link, you can search for casino bonus deals that you can use to play insects-themed slots free of charge.