Assassin bug with the wosr bite?

[Dylan933]

Hey there, just curious to everyone's opinion on what species of assassin bug has the worst bite?

 

[CanebrakeRattlesnake]

I've never been bitten one but I've seen a lot of people say Arilus cristatus has a pretty nasty bite.

I'm not sure what it was but somehow a teeny tiny assassin bug nymph of some kind got into my room (at least that's what it looked like to me). I picked it up because it was so tiny and I didn't think it could actually poke me but I watched it get into position and poke it's proboscis into my finger!

I chucked that little dude across the room and then proceeded to panic because he was so small I couldn't find him at first. I ended up finding him and my mom let him outside but I've learned my lesson about picking them up, even the babies.

 

[goliathusdavid]

A toughie. In terms of most painful initial bite Psytalla horrida is definitely a candidate. But it's also important not to forget that many Latin American insects in the family Reduviidae also transmit Chagas Disease through the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. And that my friends, is something you do NOT want to mess with. When species carrying the parasite bite a human, they defecate, and the parasite in their feces enters the human body through mucous membranes or broken skin. The disease then undergoes an acute and later chronic phase, both of which can be life threatening. The latter, is particularly terrifying as the parasite can stay undetected in the human body for decades before causing serious (sometimes life threatening) cardiovascular and gastrointestinal complications.

So to answer your question, for initial bite probably Psytalla horrida. But in terms of long lasting side effect? Definitely any Latin American species that carries the parasite that infects roughly 7 million people in Latin America and 300,000 in the US.

Just in case anyone was wondering why we regulate exotic Reduviidae...

 

[Dylan933]

Haha oh no! lesson learnt I'm sure... I wonder where they rank in the Schmitt pain index

 

[Dylan933]

Thanks for all the information, definitely agree pain is nothing to worry about when compared to a awful disease.

Makes sense Psytalla horrida may have one of the worst bites due to the size, also searching google someone suggested Platymeris sp. Mombo may have the worst I wonder if anyone unlucky enough to get bitten could comment their experience

 

[KaroKoenig]

It's pretty hard to get bitten in the first place. They are rather peaceful if you don't act like a total idiot while doing maintenance.

 

[RoachCoach]

I've never been bitten one but I've seen a lot of people say Arilus cristatus has a pretty nasty bite.

I'm not sure what it was but somehow a teeny tiny assassin bug nymph of some kind got into my room (at least that's what it looked like to me). I picked it up because it was so tiny and I didn't think it could actually poke me but I watched it get into position and poke it's proboscis into my finger!

I chucked that little dude across the room and then proceeded to panic because he was so small I couldn't find him at first. I ended up finding him and my mom let him outside but I've learned my lesson about picking them up, even the babies.

I have actually been stung in the neck by a Arilus cristatus. It was not a specimen I kept but a wild one. I know my statement on it is on the boards somewhere. It was waaay worse than any red wasp sting. It's not mainly the pain that trumps the index, it was the duration of it. I was getting in my car saw something drop by my head and land on my neck. Thought it was just a beetle and brushed it away only to startle us both and you learn fast not to swipe at things when they land on you in the country.

 

[Dylan933]

Well that's good to know that they don't attack unprovoked, any one know any differences between the ones found in the hobby that might help me decide? Or is it mostly appearance based?


Mate that sounds awful getting bitten on the neck!

 

[Salmonsaladsandwich]

I've read at least two reports that the bite of Platymeris sp. is worse than the bite of asian scolopendras, so if we assume that P. horrida venom is like platymeris but there's more of it I think it's entirely possible that it has the worst bite. There's lots of assassin bug species out there though, most of which don't have any bite reports associated with them, so there could easily be one with much worse venom than anything hobbyists have encountered.

I wouldn't count contracting chagas disease as the "worst assassin bug bite" because the parasite is transmitted through its feces rather than the bite.

 

[Dylan933]

Thanks for the insight is there any behavioral differences between Platymeris sp and P. horrida?

 

[The Snark]

Anza Borrego desert. Woke up one night to sharp pain. Removed what I later determined to be an assassin bug. About as painful as a bee sting.

 

[Salmonsaladsandwich]

Thanks for the insight is there any behavioral differences between Platymeris sp and P. horrida?

I'm not sure as I've never kept the latter, but Platymeris are like all other assassin bugs I've encountered in that they won't bite defensively unless you restrain them (so just letting them crawl on you is unlikely to result in a bite) and that's supposed to be the same for horrida.

Platymeris will, however, spit venom at you when disturbed. I think P. horrida do that too.

 

[goliathusdavid]

I'm not sure as I've never kept the latter, but Platymeris are like all other assassin bugs I've encountered in that they won't bite defensively unless you restrain them (so just letting them crawl on you is unlikely to result in a bite) and that's supposed to be the same for horrida.

Platymeris will, however, spit venom at you when disturbed. I think P. horrida do that too.

I would agree that they are not going to bite unless provoked. Also agreed on the spitting venom phenomenon. But I after reading this post I feel the need to emphasize that it is a really, REALLY bad idea to handle these. There is almost no reason why handling would be necessary, and I cannot think of a single example in which it would be a good idea.

 

[Salmonsaladsandwich]

Well, at one point I had a cage with over 200 adult P. biguttatus that would crawl everywhere the moment I opened the lid for feeding or cleaning, so handling them was kind of invevitable.

 

[Dylan933]

Anyone selling Psytalla horrida at the moment that would or could ship to Australia?

 

[ignithium]

Anyone selling Psytalla horrida at the moment that would or could ship to Australia?

no one can ship any animals to australia

 

[goliathusdavid]

no one can ship any animals to australia

This is correct. Australia and New Zealand have the tightest biosecurity regulations of any countries in the world. New Zealand literally only approved non-native phasmids for ZOOS last year, and Australia famously wanted to euthanize Johnny Depp's dogs cause he didn't have the proper paperwork. It seems crazy, but it also makes a lot of sense given their history with invasive species, and their valid concerns about pathogens. There is a reason that when the US needs help eliminating an invasive species from Guam, they call in the New Zealanders.

 

[Dylan933]

Well that sucks... I wonder if there's anyone over here that has them? Or are they an illegal species? I understand Australia has strict regulations on non natives but I'm almost certain you can buy some non native pets at the local pet store.

 

[goliathusdavid]

Well that sucks... I wonder if there's anyone over here that has them? Or are they an illegal species? I understand Australia has strict regulations on non natives but I'm almost certain you can buy some non native pets at the local pet store.

They would be an illegal species. Some exotics have been deregulated, others are just heavily trafficked. Though unlike the US, Australia actually has an extensive system of enforcement fighting against wildlife trafficking. For more information on legal insect species and biosecurity I recommend browsing through the following pages:
https://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/wildlife-trade/law
https://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/wildlife-trade/do-i-need-permit
https://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/wildlife-trade/live-import-list
That last link lists all specimens all species that can be legally imported by individuals, divided into those that do not require a permit and those that do. If it's not on the list, its illegal. You can try negotiating with the government for a particular species (anyone is allowed to apply for an exemption) but not gonna lie, you probably are not going to get what you want. This is because the Australian government has chosen the strictest biosecurity measures in the world- and for a good reason. They've seen the havoc invasive species can exact on native wildlife and are also deeply concerned (as they should be) with the potential for pathogens spread through the wildlife trade. At the end of the day, all of this is the for the protection of Australian agriculture and biodiversity.
When it comes to native arthropods however, y'all have A LOT of pretty amazing stuff. So I would look at some native species, purchase from a reliable seller, and get into the arthropod world.
Also just want to say it is so much easier to know what the laws are in Australia than the laws in the US . Its taken me HOURS of google searches, time on The Mantis Menagerie's Website, talks with co workers, and on this forum, to figure out basic invert regulation here. Australia took me literally five minutes.

 

[Dylan933]

Well thank you for taking the time to send those links and give me some information I guess I should of done some research before getting my Hope's up but live and learn!

Australia definitely does have a very vulnerable ecosystem that is already under attack from non natives such as cane toads, feral cats and dogs alike etc. So I'm not at all salty at the laws put in place to protect our wildlife I'll have a look at some of the local offerings