Combative “Harmless” Insects vs. Easygoing “Scary” Insects

Biting “Harmless” Insects vs. Easygoing “Scary” Insects

One of the earliest lessons we are taught as children is to not judge a book by its cover. The cover does give a hint as to the contents and genre inside, but it does not give the whole story since that would spoil the plot. Insects are the same way, strangely enough. Some of the friendliest looking insects can actually inflict pain on us when we get too close, and certain scary-looking pests are actually completely harmless to humans. We’ll look at some of the most common examples and how looks truly can be deceiving in the animal kingdom. 

Biting “Harmless” Insects

Every insect has at least one reliable defense mechanism in place. This is because they are so small that they need some form of protection if they are going to survive and produce the next generation of its kind. The most common types of defense are sounds, bites, venom, disguise, and flight. But the ones that impact humans the most are bites, especially when venom is also involved. While these ordinary pests aren’t the most dangerous insects in the world, you will definitely know if you are bitten by one of these creepy-crawlies. 

Caterpillars

The larvae stage may seem harmless at first due to its wormlike appearance and docile nature. But they have a strong bite that protects them from the frequent predators that search for these young butterflies and moths. They will bite humans if we disturb them, but it won’t really have any lasting effects beyond a pinch and some redness. Caterpillars have another surprising defense as well. Some species have tiny hairs laced with poison that can pierce our skin. Since the common caterpillar is so small, the poison won’t be fatal in such tiny amounts. And since they don’t seek out people to bite, we aren’t in danger from these crawlers. But it is still a good idea to avoid touching caterpillars altogether, or use a thick gardening glove if you must move them off of your plants. 

Carpenter Ants

When you think of a biting ant, you likely think of a fire ant. These red ants have strong mandibles that are capable of delivering a fiery bite to its victim, including humans. But carpenter ants also have a strong bite with a surprising element added. Carpenter ants function similarly to termites in that they live to burrow into wood and can cause thousands of dollars in damages to our houses, except carpenter ants don’t actually eat the wood. Their nest within the wood is extremely important to them, so anyone who messes with the nest without completely eradicating it will be met with a slew of painful bites. As if this wasn’t enough, the carpenter ant has a special formic acid that they squirt into the open wound to inflict more pain on their victim. So if you weren’t already convinced with the wood situation, it’s best to leave a carpenter ant infestation to the pest control professionals. 

Crickets

The good news with crickets is that they are nearly impossible to find at night, so you are very unlikely to stumble across one while enjoying the warm evenings. Their mating chirps are very audible and could be used to track them, but they stop this from happening by ceasing the song as soon as someone or something takes a step in their direction. But for their protection, some species of crickets do have a bite that they will inflict when they feel endangered. Their mouth isn’t strong enough to pierce our skin, so you won’t bleed if you happen to be bitten by a cricket. There will likely be a small sore left behind though since crickets can carry different diseases that don’t have a major effect on humans. But being bitten is never a fun time, so please don’t pick up a cricket if you do somehow find one. Since crickets like to stay in taller grass to sing their songs and hop away at the first sign of danger, we don’t have to worry about being randomly bitten by a cricket anytime soon. 

Dragonflies

Dragonflies are beneficial insects due to their diet of flies, mosquitoes, and other annoying pests. And while they don’t usually like to land on us because of our size and movements, dragonflies do mistake us for a safe landing zone from time to time. They will usually just fly away, but will bite if they feel they are in any kind of danger. They have surprisingly strong jaws and sharp teeth for an insect, so you will definitely know if you are bitten. Dragonflies don’t have a stinger, so the only pain they cause is through their mouths. Since they won’t bite us unless they are roughly handled or we literally put our finger near its mouth, dragonflies are not a dangerous insect by any means. Just don’t get too close to its eerily-large head. 

Flies

The annoying houseflies you can find buzzing around your kitchen or trying to get back outside the windows won’t bite you, but there are quite a few species that will. Many of these kinds of flies like to stay outside, especially in fields, so homes in a suburban setting aren’t usually plagued by these fearsome flies. The most common biting flies include horse flies, deer flies, stable flies, and black flies. These flies all have a taste for blood since they live off of it, so we are easy targets for them. Their bites won’t cause problems beyond the initial pain of the bite and a red welt, with some possible bleeding thanks to the large jaws of the horse fly. The easiest way to prevent flies of any kind from annoying you in your yard or home is to have a fan or two around, since flies can’t fly in wind due to their small wings. 

Grasshoppers

Grasshoppers are similar to crickets in that they love to hide in the grass and don’t have much interest in humans. But anyone who has held a grasshopper a little too tightly can testify that these insects are prepared to attack any predator no matter the size difference. Their bite isn’t dangerous beyond the typical red welt, so putting some ice and medication on it should suffice. But there is more than one defense mechanism that these green pests use. Their legs have visible spines covering them, which can irritate our skin if we touch them for long enough. As if this wasn’t enough, grasshoppers can regurgitate a non-poisonous substance in the hopes of making the predator leave them alone. A good rule of thumb is simply to not pick up a grasshopper, since it will only cause discomfort and irritation for both parties. 

Ladybugs

Ladybugs are such a beloved insect that they are often intentionally brought into gardens to control the aphid population. It’s not uncommon to have a ladybug land on you while spending some time out in the backyard or garden area. They are so docile to humans that they will often just crawl along our arms, realize that there isn’t anything to eat here, then fly away. But if we touch them too much for their liking, ladybugs will deliver a bite to our skin. It will feel like a pinch and won’t have any adverse side effects. You may know if you are bitten by a ladybug, but it won’t be enough to ruin your day. Since they are so beneficial and harmless to us, it’s good to just leave ladybugs alone in general and let them be a free natural form of pest control for our yards.

Praying Mantids

This massive insect is pretty docile, for the most part. Its unnerving size and stance is typically reserved for intimidating and killing insects, as they don’t care much for humans. They will stay in the same spot for hours if they think they have a chance of catching a meal with their speedy reflexes and sharp forelegs. But if we get in their way or grab them, the praying mantis will quickly turn on us. In addition to a strong bite, the mantis will use its strong forelegs to scratch us in an attempt to be left alone. Their legs have spikes along the lengths, so there would be some definite red marks if they came in contact with human skin. While praying mantids aren’t poisonous and won’t hurt us beyond leaving a welt and some marks, it’s best to leave them be and have them continue to control the tiny pest population outdoors. 

Easygoing “Scary” Insects 

Conversely, there are many scary-looking insects that actually don’t have the defenses to back up their terrifying appearance. They can survive in the insect world, but they are basically useless against humans or larger animals. It’s still not a good idea to go around handling these pests since they could always surprise you and poke or stick you with one of their spindly body structures. But for the most part, these monstrous insects won’t cause any damage to humans besides haunting our nightmares. 

Carpet Beetles

True to their name, carpet beetles live within the carpet fibers in homes and feed upon the dander and dust as larvae that is found there. Adult carpet beetles actually eat pollen, so they aren’t focused on humans any more at that point. These creepy-looking beetles stick near the windows once they are past the larvae stage in an attempt to get outside where the pollen is. The only physical damage that can come from these pests is a reaction to the larvae. Allergy symptoms can heighten in humans the longer that we are exposed to the larvae. But beyond that, the only worrisome part of these scary-looking pests is their appetite for our fabrics and carpet, so it’s still a good idea to have pest control treat the area to be sure that the problem is solved sooner than later. 

Daddy Longlegs

These spindly critters are unnerving to look at just based on the sheer length of their legs. Also called harvestmen, true daddy longlegs aren’t actually spiders at all. This is why they can’t produce webs or bite humans. They do have the mouth to consume dead insects and decaying vegetation, so they are beneficial in a way. But daddy longlegs don’t have the mandibles or strength to bite humans, so we are never in danger of being bitten by these creepy crawlers. A huge myth surrounding their existence is that daddy longlegs have venom strong enough to kill people, they just don’t have the ability to dispense it into us. This is simply not true since daddy longlegs don’t have venom of any kind. So while the appearance of these long-legged creatures is startling, their actual nature is one of the most docile in the world of common garage-dwellers. 

Ground Beetles

Beetles are extremely varied in their size, diet, and danger level. For the most part, they look creepy enough to keep us from ever wanting to get close enough to pick them up, which is good since some have a strong bite. But ground beetles are one of the few that we don’t have to worry about when we find them in the yard. Although they have a chilling appearance, ground beetles only eat other insects and are so small that we don’t have to worry about them inflicting pain on us. They also much prefer the great outdoors to our homes, so they aren’t actively trying to get inside like some other pests. If you do find a ground beetle inside, it’s an accident since there’s nothing for them in there. Since ground beetles can’t cause damage to structures, bite humans, or sting anyone, they are a simple beetle just eating insects and not wanting anything to do with people. 

House Centipedes

This pest seems to exist strictly for the purpose of being nightmare fuel. Based on their appearance alone, you would think that this is one of the most dangerous pests ever and should never be trifled with. And while it is true that house centipedes can give a painful bite, they don’t have very toxic venom and would prefer to use any other kind of defense before biting. They don’t target us for any reason and would sooner escape however they can than attack. So as long as you avoid getting near house centipedes, probably due to their monstrous appearance, you don’t have to worry about them.  

Lacewings

These intricate insects, named for their lacy wings, are surprisingly beneficial due to their taste for small insects. If a lacewing larvae is disturbed, it will bite. But this bite will cause nothing more than a small mark, and the adult doesn’t want to be near humans either. Since lacewings are more concerned with finding their next meal and keeping our gardens pest-free, we don’t have to worry about being attacked by a lacewing anytime soon. 

Millipedes

The main visual problem with this pest is that it has an unnerving number of legs, and humans have a natural aversion to any creature with a large number of legs in general. Their preferred defense mechanism is to curl up in a ball and wait for the predator to leave, so it is not often that you will be bitten by a millipede. While they do have a bite filled with toxins, the poison isn’t painful or dangerous to us in small quantities. If someone is allergic to the toxins, they will develop small blisters when bitten. But this is the worst impact of the bite, so there is not much to worry about with the millipedes besides its disturbing appearance. 

Walking Sticks

This strange insect has been used to inflict fear in the viewers of many creepy movie scenes, and for good reason. The docile walking stick has a massive size that makes most of us perfectly fine with never getting near it. But since its main defense is, predictably, disguise among the greenery and trees, walking sticks don’t bite when threatened. They don’t target people in any way since they are so focused on surviving in the trees. Some species have toxins that they release when captured, spraying it from the back of their thorax. If you somehow get in the line of fire, simply rinse off the area that was sprayed and you’ll be okay. But considering how antisocial walking sticks are, they won’t get close enough to spray you if they have any say in the matter. 

Weevils

If you have never heard of a weevil, it may be because they’re looped in with the general category of “pantry pests.” These small pests target the dried foods in our pantries like cereals, pasta, rice, and other grains. They are strictly herbivores, and can cause problems for us when they get into our containers of food and spoil them. If it’s any small consolation, weevils don’t care about humans at all and won’t do anything besides fly when we get near them. They are so tiny that you aren’t likely to see them unless they are greedily munching on your dried foods. Pantry pests are a whole problem in and of themselves, but they aren’t a predatory problem by any means.

Pest Control Can Handle Any Scary Insect

None of these insects are favorable houseguests, especially the ones that have the ability to bite or sting. Our pest control team is not afraid to handle any size of infestation or insect, and our EPA-approved products will ensure that your family will not be affected by the treatments that take care of many pest problems. It’s fun to learn more about the traits of insects, but it is never enjoyable to share your home with them when you weren’t planning on it.

Citations

14 “harmless” bugs you didn’t know could bite you. (2020, September 29). The Healthy. Available at https://www.thehealthy.com/first-aid/bug-bites/harmless-bugs-you-didnt-know-could-bite-you/ (Accessed on May 3, 2022). 

Cherney, K. (2019, August 30). Do millipedes bite and are they poisonous?. Healthline. Available at https://www.healthline.com/health/millipede-bite (Accessed on May 3, 2022).

Sharp, J. (n.d.). Walking stick. Desert USA. Available at https://www.desertusa.com/insects/walking-stick.html (Accessed on May 3, 2022). 

Southern Living Editors. (n.d.). 11 bugs that look scary but are actually harmless. Southern Living. Available at https://www.southernliving.com/garden/pests/scary-harmless-bugs? (Accessed on May 3, 2022). 

Vulcan Termite. (2015, February 15). Bugs people are afraid of (but shouldn’t be). Vulcan Termite. Available at https://www.vulcantermite.com/garden-pest-control/bugs-people-afraid-shouldnt/ (Accessed on May 3, 2022).