The scariest wasp on the planet is called the “Tarantula Hawk”– a
name that sounds more like a super-villain than an insect that naturally
occurs in nature.
The nasty little bug gets its name from its food of choice,
tarantulas. That’s right, this thing actually goes around hunting those
terrifying spiders.
The sting from a Tarantula Hawk is so painful that the recommended
treatment is to lay down and scream. Thankfully, the creature doesn’t
come in contact with humans too often, though they are common in the
southern United States. They generally only sting when provoked, and the
pain, while crippling, subsides rather quickly.
At two-inches-long, the blue-black demon is one of the bigger wasps
you’ll ever encounter. In 1989, New Mexico named it their state insect.
There’s a good chance that the sting might send the area around the
bite into numbness. But, just be thankful that you’re not a tarantula,
or you’d end up paralyzed and being eaten alive by was larvae.