Insects are some of the creepiest creatures on Earth. They make people’s skin crawl and in some extreme cases, even faint. But they also help the environment in a lot of ways. Read on for the top 10 most disgusting insects of all time.
A spider staring at the camera
Some people find spiders fascinating insects, but others find spiders constant sources of fear and anxiety. After all, several species of these eight-legged creatures can be quite peculiar-looking. Just imagine those furry eight legs crawling down your back or on your neck. It’s enough to give anyone the creeps. If that isn’t enough, some species, like the black widow, have poisonous bites and are known to kill human beings. But the spider web, the insect’s trademark, it is generally accepted to be one of the most fascinating creations of any insect known to man. Spiders are both a gift and a curse.
9. Stink Bug
A stink bug walking on a leaf
Stink bugs are easy to define. They stink. They stink right down to the bone and they have a wonderful habit of leaving their wonderful smell everywhere—on your fingers, your clothes, on YOU. Somebody needs to learn some manners. The stink bug is a small insect that is usually found under the leaves in the garden or in the grass on the front lawn. Also known as shield bugs, their defense mechanism is their horrendous smell. When disturbed, the stink bug releases a particularly strong odor so stinky it’s enough to put Godzilla to sleep. If that isn’t disgusting, I don’t know what is.
8. Dung Beetle
Two dung beetles fighting over a dung ball
Here’s another insect that needs no introduction. The name—THE NAME!!!—says it all. Dung beetles. If the mention of the name—THE NAME!!!—conjures images of a beetle feeding on dung, then rolling the leftovers into a ball, and then burrowing underground to lay its eggs into the dung ball before feeding on some more dung, you aren’t far from the truth. The dung beetle lays its eggs on the dung ball so when the eggs hatch, the hungry baby dung beetles will find their dung diet ready and waiting for them. I told you - the name says everything.
7. House Fly
A common house fly
They say the common house fly is arguably the most dangerous animal in the world. Nothing could be closer to the truth. Next to the mosquito, the house fly poses the greatest threat to people everywhere. The house fly carries a host of diseases from parasitic worms to anthrax to Salmonella to cholera to typhoid. Disgusting! That’s the way to describe it. This insect will land and crawl all over your food. Before you know it, all sorts of microscopic worms are well on their way inside your body, sticking every which way along the walls of your intestine. Before you can even think about it, you worship your toilet seat like its a golden god.
A mosquito resting on the floor
The female mosquito lands on a stretch of skin and bites. In a minute it flies off, looking red, plump and healthy, ready to lay its eggs as soon as evening comes. A week later, the people in the small village are shocked by the death of their leader’s son, his only child. The leader, of course, grieved day and night; it pushed him to the brink of insanity. But who could they blame? This ability of the mosquito to spread viral diseases makes it one of the deadliest and most disgusting insects—no, animals—known to man. Never underestimate the power of something so small it’s almost invisible.
An illustration of a common flea
The idea of fleas living on your skin is enough to make anyone’s skin crawl. If that isn’t enough, fleas also feed on your blood. Who could predict that even fleas love to attend house parties? Fleas usually live on the skin of furry animals, but they can easily transfer to a person if he or she gets to close. Flea bites are itchy. They swell if scratched or left unattended; the skin turns red and mound-like with a single puncture point at the center. Unless you want these ungrateful tenants living on your body, make sure your pets are clean at all times.
A dead tick from a dog
What makes a hungry tick tick? The smell of blood is one cause. Ticks feed on blood, both animal’s and human being’s. This makes the tick similar to the flea, but ticks are much more dangerous, I tell you. Unlike the regular dog flea, ticks are one of the primary disease vectors of Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, life-threatening diseases if left untreated. Ticks are lot bigger than fleas, so they should be easy to spot as soon as they make the first bite. Tick tweezers and sewing threads are effective in removing ticks from the skin and you should always have one of these if you live near or are even just passing through a tick-infested area.
3. Bed Bug
A magnified yucky bedbug
When you enter a hotel room often the first thing people check out is the bed. They slump down face first, jump up and down on the mattress, test its softness and the like. What they don’t do is check the sheets for bed bugs. Depending on how long the bugs have been lying dormant on the sheets and on the pillows, they’ll feed on you the moment they get to you. They’re like vampires, these pests. Now you know what to do next time you check in on a hotel.
A couple of lice viewed under a microscope
Lice are disgusting. It’s as simple as that. They can live almost everywhere—on elephants, on bird feathers, in your hair!—and they feed by sucking the blood of their hosts. They look disgusting, too. Lice are common on rodents, have bodies covered in hair and are just as uncouth as their hosts. No person would want to come in contact with one of these. But look out! You might have a dozen families house partying in your hair right this minute.
1. House Cockroach
A yucky house cockroach
Somebody should call Merriam-Webster and tell them “cockroach” ought to be synonymous with “disgusting” or “gross”. I mean, come on. Anybody who doesn’t find these n-legged pests (where n is a ny numerical value) disgusting and repulsive deserves to be banned from the face of the earth. While we see them as pests, cockroaches see people as potential housemates (Big Brother, the insecticide please?). What’s even more disgusting is that they leave behind bits and pieces of themselves as they crawl about. The next thing you know, somebody in your house is sick and needs to go to a hospital. I’ve never been so sure in my whole life: the cockroach is the No. 1 most disgusting insect of all time.
We hope you enjoyed the list. Hey, is it lunchtime already?
Cockroach is on the top of the list of the most disgusting insects, want to know the deadliest of them all? Check out Top Ten Deadliest Insects in the world