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World's Most Painful Insect Bites
Terry McCormick
Amazon Giant Centipede
These carnivorous centipedes, which can grow up to a foot long, need a potent bite to kill large prey like mice and bats. Schmidt estimates the pain to be at the top of the scale, and while he confesses to not having been bitten himself, he says, “Centipede bites produce a burning pain that hurts for a long time. People are usually whining and limping around a good 12 hours later.”
Where They’re Found: The name suggests that Amazon Giant Centipedes might be confined to the deepest recesses of the Amazon. In fact, they’re common throughout the northwest of South America as well as Trinidad, Hispaniola, and Jamaica.
How to Avoid Them: While spelunking, it pays to keep a low profile; the centipedes often hang from the ceiling to catch bats as they fly by.
