Monday, June 09, 2008

America: One more reason not to go

See this thing? It's a Tarantula Hawk Wasp.

Not only does it have an unsettling appearance, it has one of the most painful stings of any insect. Rating a 4.0 on the marvellous and memorable Schmidt Pain Index the sensation of having fallen foul of this vast and intimidating insect has been described as "...immediate, excruciating pain that simply shuts down one's ability to do anything, except, perhaps, scream."

These creatures range over a vast territory from Argentina to Oregon. You might want to print this post out to have ready next time one of your relatives floats the topic of Disneyland.

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