They swarm around ponds on a hot summer day,
they can’t resist the smell of your sugar-filled soda, they jump, crawl, fly, and just give
us all the creeps in general. These critters may be small, but they can
be lethal, so watch out! When I tell you about a creature so dangerous
that it’s the number one human-killer on Earth, you probably imagine the usual suspects
like sharks, bears, or lions. But, no, you can easily squish this little
guy with just a finger. Any guesses as to what it might be? Yep, it’s the mosquito! Those very insects that you know as mere sleep
disturbers buzzing around your ears at night. Sure, it’s annoying if you get bit by a
mosquito, but no big deal, right? Well, not so much once you consider the fact
that these buzzing nuisances carry a variety of diseases. Some of the most well-known are malaria, yellow
fever, dengue fever, and West Nile virus. These and many other life-threatening illnesses
are transferred to humans through a mosquito’s spout-like mouth when it pierces your skin
and sucks your blood. Gross! These disease-spreading vampires claim an
average of 750,000 human lives every year, and malaria is responsible for about half
of those deaths. As for those scary sharks we see in horror
flicks, they only take about 6 human lives a year. So, yeah, maybe film directors should take
note and make a movie about mosquitos instead? _____
Mosquitoes aren’t the only underrated killers out there. If you have a cat or dog, I’m sure you already
know where I’m going with my next point. Yes, fleas! These creatures border on microscopic in size
but can become a gigantic inconvenience once they’ve infested your pets’ warm cozy
fur. Like mosquitos, fleas also feast on blood
for survival. They prefer animal blood to humans’, but
this doesn’t mean they won’t have a taste if given the opportunity. Their itchy bite is usually more of a nuisance,
but they’ve been known to carry more serious diseases like typhus and the bubonic plague. Yes, you heard that correctly: that thing
that wiped out most of Europe in the 14th century. Anyway, just make sure to keep your furry
friends up-to-date with their tick and flea prevention!
_____ Oh that’s right! Another tiny vampire we should fear is the
tick. Both pet owners and hiking enthusiasts know
all about these annoying little critters. The problem with a tick is that it too is
small enough to drink its fill of your blood before you become aware of its presence. In fact, a tick may have already left its
host before the symptoms of disease start showing up! Oh yeah, and about those diseases – there’s
more than you can imagine! With 900 different tick species across the
globe, they come with their own smorgasbord of illnesses. Although the word “tick” has become synonymous
with Lyme disease, there’s also Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Tick Paralysis, Typhus, Relapsing
Fever, Babesiosis…should I keep going? Ok, you get it. Try to stay away from these nasty little killers. _____
Let’s take a break from the bloodsuckers for now, and quickly move on to a creature
that doesn’t move so quickly! Who doesn’t love swimming in freshwater
lakes or jumping into a cool river to escape the summer heat? Ah, yet again, dear outdoor adventurer, I
have to warn you against the dreaded freshwater snail. Yes, you heard me right – one of the deadly
creatures on this list is a snail. But hey! These freshwater inhabitants can be carriers
of a parasitic worm called Schistosomiasis. Once it infects the human body, it causes
intense abdominal pain and blood in the stool or urine. Eeegh, yikes… And can you believe that a snail could cause
over 20,000 deaths a year? The couch-potato lifestyle is starting to
sound more and more appealing… _____
The next seemingly cute little fella that you should stay far away from goes by many
names: the Southern flannel moth, the woolly slug, the puss caterpillar. Whatever alias it likes to don, you’ll recognize
this bug by its luxurious hair-like spines. These furry spines are actually what it uses
to protect itself. Contact with this fluffy-looking creature
causes almost instant skin irritation with pain so severe that some people say it feels
like getting a broken bone! Along with the pain comes swelling, burning,
nausea, headache, blisters, rashes, chest pain, numbness, and difficulty breathing. Sounds like an alphabet soup of “No thanks,
I’ll pass!” _____
Another deceptive insect is the kissing bug. The name is almost as deceiving as the seemingly
fluffy fur of the woolly slug. It’s also known as the assassin bug, but
it probably prefers to go by the more flattering nomenclature. Anyway, we’re back to the bloodsuckers. But this insect’s vampiric bite isn’t
the biggest threat, not unless you have a serious allergic reaction to it. No, the issue here is the bug’s poop. Their fecal matter can contain a deadly parasite
that causes Chagas disease. And I know you’re wondering, so here are
the very unpleasant symptoms: muscle aches and fever as well as heart and digestive failure. Really thinking I’ll never leave my house
again… _____
But wait, have you ever found a centipede in your house? Oh, brother, what then!? Well, I’m not talking about those little
brown ones that send you running when you notice one in the bathtub – those aren’t
considered dangerous to humans, although they can bite! I’m talking about the bigger ones, the ones
whose bite is extremely painful and comes along with swelling, redness, headache, nausea,
vomiting, skin necrosis, palpitations, and anxiety. In severe cases, a centipede bite can even
lead to fatal heart attack if it’s not treated in time. _____
Anyone who’s spent some time on the Internet has seen all those memes about creatures in
Australia wanting to kill you. The saddest thing is that it seems kinda true! The land down under is home to some of the
deadliest creatures on the planet, and that includes the funnel-web spider. If being one of the world’s most venomous
spiders out there wasn’t enough, this eight-legged nightmare-inducing monster can also survive
underwater for several hours! If a person gets bit, they can expect sweating,
confusion, muscle spasms, and eventual progressive hypotension that can result in death. So, if you ever do find yourself trying to
save a spider from drowning in Australia, you might wanna think twice…
_____ Now, unless you’re allergic, bees aren’t
usually life-threatening. But that’s just about normal bees. As for the Africanized bee (which is a result
of crossbreeding the European honeybee with the East African honeybee), they can do some
real damage even if you’re not allergic! The Africanized bee (a.k.a. the killer bee)
is more defensive than other honeybee species, which usually only sting as a last resort. Killer bees react to any kind of threat much
quicker than other bees and swarm together to protect their hive, meaning that a person
can receive up to 10 times more stings than with typical bees. These super aggressive buzzers have been known
to chase down their victims for up to a quarter of a mile! And they’ve taken their fair share of victims,
both human and animal. Maybe we shouldn’t crossbreed any more venomous
creatures, eh? Didn’t really turn out too good this time
around… _____
Speaking of bees, another airborne attacker is the hornet. Hornets can be aggressive at the slightest
provocation, but just imagine a Japanese giant hornet coming after you! Their sting is so painful that it’ll send
you straight to the hospital. Even if you’re not allergic, the stings
can still be fatal if enough venom is injected. And if you do have an allergy, anaphylactic
shock is ahead. Getting stung 10 times guarantees that a person
will need medical attention. In the rare but possible case of being stung
more than 30 times, a patient will require emergency medical treatment. The painful venomous sting can cause kidney
failure, which means death if not treated. _____
One more flying terror is the Tsetse fly. These pesky bloodsuckers are the largest African
flies and inhabit the more tropical areas of the continent. Like some of the other parasites that rely
on drinking blood for survival, the tsetse fly can transfer a dangerous disease to people
called Human sleeping sickness. No, it doesn’t help you sleep at night. In the first stage of the disease, people
experience flu-like symptoms including fever and headaches. Only after weeks or even a few months does
the second stage begin with confusion, numbness, and problems with nighttime sleep. The good news is that treatment and intervention
has reduced the fatality rate tremendously, from around 34,000 people in 1990 to 3,500
in 2015. And this number continues to drop. So, when it comes to deadly creatures, it
looks like having modern medicine on our side is definitely a good thing. But still, stay far away from any of the critters
on this list, just to play it safe! So, which of these creepy creatures scares
you the most? Let me know down in the comments! I’m still trying to get the image of that
spider out of my head, personally… And remember to give this video a “like,”
share it with your friends, and click “subscribe” to stay on the Bright Side of life!
