The Latin word decimate means to reduce by ten percent. Previous lists have explored awful killer critters ranging from insects to bull sharks, but this list is an unprecedented sequal. We will now look at previously not thought of and far worse invertebrate (spineless) creatures that will at the very least decimate your body through bone crushing bites, damage your flesh or annihilate you through burning, drowning or terror in truly awful attacks. These creatures have never before been seen on Listverse.
ugly bugs We are used to seeing insects as prey animals; everyone eats them, from birds and spiders, to humans. But there are predators among insects as well, and some of them are among Nature’s most perfect killers. I give you ten of the most formidable predatory insects… and be grateful that they don’t come in large sizes!
20
Fire Urchin
Fire urchins are spineless—as in lacking a back bone—but make up for it with the worst external spines of any animal on Earth. Unlike many urchins, these aggressive hunters actively pursue their prey with tiny jaws attached tovenomous spines. If stepped on by a human, the spines and jaws release an extremely potent paralyzing toxin with burning effects, that have oftenresulted in deaths. Unfortunately, antivenin has not yet been developed for protection against this bite. The fire urchin is native to the Indo-Pacific region and hides among reefs, where it may be stepped on with devastating results.
19
Giant Water Bug
Toebiter
Giant water bugs are huge, freshwater insects that belong to a family known as true bugs. True bugs are divided into two types: plant sucking (aphids) and carnivorous (mosquitos). Giant water bugs may grow over 4 inches (10 cm) in length, and feed by injecting liquefying chemicals into prey items that include young turtles and small snakes. Giant water bugs bite humans with regularity, attacking swimmers or latching on to toes dangled in the water, earning them the folk name toebiter. The Schmidt insect sting pain index places giant water bugs as number four, the worst rated. Wasps are only two. Pain is only temporary, but the bite may cause permanent muscle damage.
18
Black Fly
Death by a Thousand Cuts
The boreal forest (taiga) would seem to be the last place to consider killer insects on a tropical scale. However, a dead elk with holes and oozing blood all over its body suggests something sinister may be present here. A vampire? Nightmares could be realized as swarms of oppressive, red eyed creatures approach, and begin to latch on all over your body. The leeches of the air. Each black fly in the massive swarm uses its sharpened beak to insert anticoagulant chemicals, causing blood to run out. Death by a thousand cuts has occurred when humans have died from blood loss in black fly attacks. Fatal allergic reactions to proteins have occurred when victims inhale swarming flies, and river blindness may be transmitted by southern populations.
17
Southern Flannel Moth
You would be forgiven for your astonishment at seeing a moth on this list. But the southern flannel moth caterpillar is the rattlesnake of theLepidoptera group (butterflies and moths). It forages among shrubs and trees, and is covered with glistening spines that give it the appearance of a Persian cat. But a brush with this caterpillar could be a brush with fate. The spines are coated with a powerful toxin, and a multitude of venomous punctures result from any human contact. Deaths have not been confirmed from this designated dangerous insect, but shock and lung distress could plausibly kill.
16
Killer Bristle Worm
British aquarium staff could not understand why sizable fish were being found gashed, and rock corals mutilated. Eventually, investigation revealed a nightmarish, bristle covered predatory marine worm capable of growing over 8 feet (2.4 meters) in length. The creature lies on the sandy shallows before striking out with such power that even sizable, resilient prey are slashed into pieces. As well as massive, slicing jaws, the creatures are covered in lethally neurotoxic spines. These spines deliver a permanent loss of sensation in any animal part that contacts them, human fingers included. A Polychaete could quickly chew off your finger once you were within striking distance.
15
Giant Tasmanian Crayfish
In the streams of Tasmania, Australia’s southernmost island, river users must respect a truly unbelievable arthropod. Crushing injuries and amputations can be the consequences of approaching logjams, crevices and rocky dikes. The monster lying in the waters is known as the giant black river lobster. These abominable leg biters are related to lobsters and prawns, but grow more than 28 inches (71 cm) in length and possess huge claws capable of cutting through bone. They may weigh over 15 pounds (6.8 kg), and are territorial. The pincers are applied with strength unprecedented among crustaceans, coupled with incredible slicing power with their 7 inch (17.8 cm) pincers. Unfortunately, these magnificent crustaceans are endangered by careless logging practices.
14
Red Devil Squid
Red devil, or Humboldt squid are the wolves of the invertebrate world. Giant squid are relatively docile, but 6 foot (1.8 meters) Humboldt Squid areaggressive pack hunters that will not hesitate to tackle large prey as they roam the coastlines of North America. These 100 pound (45 kg) fiends have attacked and almost caused the deaths of divers in recent years through their raptorial group predation attempts. The Humboldt squid grasps its prey with studded tentacles, pulling victims down to the depths where it can be clipped apart by the hawk-like beak and shared by the pack. We recommend this video.
13
Black Corsair
Lying down to sleep in an area home to a black corsair, or reaching into a dark corner is a doorway to nightmarish pain. The 2 inch (5 cm) black corsair is a type of assassin bug capable of seriously biting any perceived threat. It may emerge from wall cracks or woodpiles, and will insert its sharp proboscis into sensitive areas of human victims, injecting highly irritating venom and causing widespread tissue irritation. Like all assassin bugs, corsairs have the potential to spread disease into wounds caused by the sharp beak. The black corsair is one of several species having the most painful of insect bites.
12
Titan Beetle
With a Latin name like Titanus giganteus, you should begin to expect trouble from the title bearer. Of all Earth’s beetle species—incidentally the most diverse group of animals on the planet—the New World rainforest dwelling titan beetle is the most massive and threatening. The adults reach over 7 inches (17.8 cm) in length, and inhabit woody areas. When threatened, titan beetles unleash the fury of massive mandibles capable of slicing wooden sticks in two. The titanic bite is known to tear into human flesh most effectively. Adults do not eat, but only defend territory. Titan beetle larvae have never been found, but boreholes in tropical trees suggest a grub up to 1 foot (30.5 cm) long, and 2 inches (5 cm) wide.
11
Wheel Bug
A name like wheel bug should raise some alarms. In fact, it is not the strangewheel shaped adornment on the back of this American predator, but its highly evolved mouthparts that pose a threat to humans. Wheel bugs are among the larger predatory land bugs, and possess a sharp, flesh dissolving toxin released through a long beak. When humans get in the way of a wheel bug hiding among the leaves, extreme pain levels and local flesh damage occurs. The injuries can take months to heal, and often leave a noticeable scarwhere the tissue has been eroded by the venom.
10
Robber fly
We are all familiar with the house fly, which feeds on decaying organic matter (among other disgusting things), and is pretty much harmless to other insects. However, there are around 120,000 species of flies in the world (many are yet to be discovered) and some of them are accomplished predators. Robber flies are among these; they have extremely sharp eyesight and can fly at high speed, catching other insects in mid air. They have stabbing mouthparts (proboscis) which inject a powerful neurotoxic venom and digestive juices into the victim, liquifying its innards, which the fly sucks afterwards.
Due to this formidable weapon and the robber fly’s devastating attack speed, not even wasps, bees or spiders in their webs are safe from these aerial killers. Robber fly venom is usually harmless to humans, but if captured they can give an extremely painful bite.
9
Water scorpion
Despite their fearsome appearance and alarming name, water scorpions are actually insects, belonging to the true bug (Hemiptera) group, and completely harmless to humans. However, they are the scourge of small aquatic animals, which they capture with their strong, modified forelegs. Water scorpions are sort of the insect equivalent of a crocodile; they are slow moving ambush predators that snatch any small animal that comes close; mostly, they feed on other aquatic insects such as mosquito larvae and diving beetles, but they have been known to dine on small fish and frogs once in a while.
Although they have wings, their flight muscles are poorly developed and they fly rarely, usually when the ponds or lakes where they live start to dry up and they must find a new residence. As for the long, tail-like projection at the end of their abdomen, it is actually a breathing tube; the water scorpion uses it to collect oxygen from the surface, and can subsequently remain underwater for up to half an hour before it has to breathe again.
8
Arachnocampa luminosa
Arachnocampa is a kind of gnat from New Zealand; as an adult, its only goal in life is to mate, and it doesn’t feed at all. However, its larvae are accomplished predators with a most unusual hunting method, which gives the animal its name (Arachnocampa means “spider worm”). They usually live in the ceiling of dark, secluded caves, away from wind currents and sunlight. The larvae spin a nest of silk (produced by themselves) and hang several silk threads from the cave ceiling, around the nest.
Each one of these threads is covered on sticky droplets of mucus, sometimes loaded with venom. The Arachnocampa larva can glow like a firefly, which attracts flying insects such as moths to the sticky threads and to a horrible end. Once the unfortunate insect is caught, the larva tones down its glow, pulls the silk thread up and starts feeding voraciously on the entangled prey, whether it is alive or dead.
7
Tiger Beetle
Everyone knows that the fastest land predator is the cheetah, which can reach speeds of 115 kms (71 mph) per hour. Compared to this, a Tiger Beetle is a slowpoke; it can only run at a speed of 8 kms (5 mph) per hour. But if we take its size into account, it is actually the fastest animal in the world! If we could run as fast as the tiger beetle, proportionally to our size, we could reach speeds of almost 500 kms (311 mph) per hour! This speed is so extreme that a running Tiger Beetle must stop constantly to locate prey, since its eyes are unable to process visual information at such high speed.
Tiger Beetles feed on whatever small animal they can subdue; they hunt mostly on land, but are also skilled flyers and have been known to catch other insects in the air too. Their sharp mandibles can easily sever the limbs and body parts of other insects, sometimes bigger than the Tiger Beetle itself. There are many species of Tiger Beetle and they are among the most abundant insect predators, being extremely useful to humans as they help control pests. The larvae of these beetles are also fearsome predators, but instead of chasing their prey, they prefer to wait in ambush, hidden underground, and capture any passing insect with their enormous jaws.
6
Antlion
Adult antlions look rather like damselflies, and although some species hunt smaller flying insects, most of them prefer to feed on pollen and nectar. Antlion larvae, on the other hand, are deadly insect predators, and just like Arachnocampa, they have developed a most amazing trick to capture prey. They live in sandy places, where they dig a funnel-shaped pit, cleverly designed so that no insect can climb its steep walls. The antlion then buries itself in the bottom of the pit. Whenever an unfortunate insect (usually an ant) steps on the edge of the pit, the sand collapses and the victim falls to the bottom, and into the antlion larva’s deadly jaws.
Sometimes, an ant will escape the larva and attempt to climb the walls of the pit; in this case, the antlion has another trick up its sleeve; it throws jets of sand to the ant, so that it slips back into the pit’s bottom. Once the antlion larva has secured its prey, it sucks its body fluid with the tooth-like projections of its jaws, and then throws the dry carcass out of the pit.
5
Assassin bug
Assassin bugs are among Nature’s most ingenious killers. There are plenty of species, and most of them are harmless to man (although some have excruciatingly painful bites). Often, a species of assassin bug will specialize in a certain kind of prey; for example, some of them feed only on spiders, others prefer ants, etc. They are armed with needle-like mouthparts, which they use to inject lethal saliva into their prey; this saliva liquifies the victim’s innards. (Like many other insects, assassin bugs are unable to feed on solid matter). However, most assassin bugs aren’t fast flyers or runners, so they use trickery to hunt. Some of them cover their bodies with bark, dust, or even dead insects to disguise their appearance and scent, and sneak up on unsuspecting prey.
Spider-hunting assassin bugs often mimic the vibrations produced by insects entangled in a spider web; the spider attacks, thinking that it has caught a tasty meal, only to be killed and devoured itself. Perhaps the most amazing assassin bug is a certain species that feeds on ants. It produces a sugary substance through its abdomen, which serves as bait for the sweet-loving ants. But the sugary substance is also loaded with a powerful tranquilizer; soon, the ant collapses, paralyzed, and the assassin bug can suck its innards without any resistance.
4
Dragonfly
The Dragonfly is the ultimate aerial killer of the insect world; its design is so perfect, that it has remained almost unchanged for the last 300 million years. It is among the fastest flying insects, reaching almost 90 kms (56 miles) per hour (which is even more amazing if we consider its small size and apparent fragility). It can dive-bomb, hover like a helicopter, and even fly backwards, and its enormous eyes, which cover almost all of its head, give it near-360 degree vision, so that no insect escapes its attention.
Dragonflies feed on any flying insects they can catch, and also on spiders, which they capture from their webs. Although they usually hunt and devour prey at high speed in the air, they can also snatch spiders and insects from exposed surfaces. Dragonfly larvae are also formidable predators; they are aquatic, and use their protractile, sharp mouthparts to stab other small animals to death, including small fish, frogs and other dragonfly larvae.
3
Siafu ant
Also known as the driver, safari or army ant, this African species if the only insect known to attack and devour humans, although this happens only very rarely. Siafu ants have very large, sharp jaws and venomous stings, which they use to subdue small animals such as lizards, worms and other insects. However, there have been reports of cows, goats and other domestic animals that were tied to trees or poles by their owners, and, unable to get out of the way, were killed by the Siafu ants. Wild animals avoid ant armies on the move, and some naturalists have claimed that even lions and elephants flee away from them.
There have been reports of attacks on people who couldn’t run away on time, such as unattended babies, sleeping or injured people and at least one drunken man. Also, one tourist that was reported as missing in Tanzania was later found to have been killed by Siafu ants. It is said that these larger victims may not die of envenomation after being stung, but rather of asphyxia, since the attacking ants will go into any body orifice and crawl into the lungs.
2
Praying mantis
Possibly the best known predatory insect. There are many species of praying mantis, or mantids, around the world, but they are all perfect ambush hunters, armed with long, modified forelegs armed with sharp hooks to capture prey. These forelegs are usually called the “raptorial legs”.
These insects usually stand still, camouflaged, until a smaller insect or animal gets close; then they capture with a lightning fast movement, and start feeding whether the victim is alive or dead.
These insects usually stand still, camouflaged, until a smaller insect or animal gets close; then they capture with a lightning fast movement, and start feeding whether the victim is alive or dead.
They are extremely voracious and any kind of prey is good to them; they have been known to capture and devour spiders (including the deadly black widow spider), lizards, small snakes and even birds. They are also infamously prone to cannibalism; females often bite off the head of the male during sex, and feed on the rest of him afterwards. Baby mantids are also known to feed on their siblings when food is scarce. Mantids are skilled flyers but they usually only fly at night, to avoid birds and other larger predators.
1
Japanese hornet
Known as “tiger hornets” in some parts of Asia, these large wasps are relentless hunters that kill any insect they can capture, including other predators such as the praying mantis. They are armed with an incredibly potent venom, and inject great amounts of it; like other hornets, they can sting repeatedly. This venom is strong enough to cause serious illness, and even death, to humans; indeed, they are the most dangerous wild animal in Japan, killing around 40 people per year (more than venomous snakes and bears combined). But the Japanese hornet uses its sting as a defensive weapon only; to kill prey, it uses its sharp jaws to decapitate the victim, and cut its body in small pieces. It then carries the carcass back to the nest, where it chews the dead insect into a soft paste to feed the larvae. The larvae then produce a sugary fluid which is the adult hornet’s main food.
To give you an idea of the destructive power of Japanese hornets, let us only say that a few of them can completely devastate a honey bee colony in a couple of hours, decapitating every single bee in the nest (up to 30,000) one by one. When all the bees are dead, the hornets feed on the honey and then carry the bee larvae, and parts of the adult bee bodies, back to their own nest to feed their larvae. This is the horrible end met by European honeybees (introduced to Japan to increase honey production) when confronted with the “tiger hornet”. But Japanese honey bees are different; they evolved along with the hornet, and have developed an incredible trick to kill the hornet scouts as soon as they find their hive.
Up to 500 bees form a tight ball that engulfs the scout hornet(s) and start vibrating their wing muscles until their body temperature increases up to 47°C. Honey bees can survive this temperature, but hornets cannot; they are basically fried alive by the bees. With the scouts dead, the hornet colony never finds out about the location of the honey bee nest. Even the most formidable predatory insect has to meet its match one day…
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