Tarantula Hawks: The Sting You Do Not Want
Seen a giant blue wasp with orange wings? That's a Tarantula Hawk. It has the second most painful sting in the world. Here is what to do if you see one.
If you live in the Southwest (Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada), you might see a massive insect that looks like a nightmare. It has a metallic blue-black body and bright orange wings. It's about two inches long.
That is a Tarantula Hawk. It is a wasp that hunts tarantulas.
The Pain Index
There is a guy named Justin Schmidt who let bugs sting him to rate the pain. He rated the Tarantula Hawk a 4.0 out of 4.0.
He described the sting as: "Blinding, fierce, shockingly electric. A running hair dryer has been dropped into your bubble bath."
It causes about 3 to 5 minutes of absolute agony. You literally cannot stand up. You just lie on the ground and scream until it stops.
Don't Swat It
Here is the good news: They are not aggressive. They are solitary hunters. They don't have a hive to defend. They spend their days looking for spiders and drinking nectar.
They will only sting you if you provoke them.
If one flies near you, freeze. Let it fly by. Do not swat at it. Do not try to spray it. If you miss, you are in for a world of hurt. Just walk away slowly.