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text:
Schmidt, an
entomologist, stung by almost every type of bee, wasp, and ant created (on
his own time) an index to compare the overall pain of
Hymenopteran
stings on a four-point scale.
1.0
sweat bee
light,
ephemeral, almost fruity.
a tiny spark
has singed a single hair on your arm.
1.2
fire ant
sharp, sudden,
mildly alarming.
like walking
across a shag carpet & reaching for the light switch.
1.8
bullhorn
acacia ant
a rare,
piercing, elevated sort of pain.
someone has
fired a staple into your cheek.
2.0
bald-faced
hornet
rich, hearty,
slightly crunchy.
similar to
getting your hand mashed in a revolving door.
2.0
yellowjacket
hot and smoky,
almost irreverent.
imagine
extinguishing a cigar on your tongue.
3.0
red harvester
ant
bold and
unrelenting.
somebody is
using a drill to excavate your ingrown toenail.
3.0
paper wasp
caustic &
burning. distinctly bitter aftertaste.
like spilling
a beaker of Hydrochloric acid on a paper cut.
4.0
pepsis wasp
blinding,
fierce, shockingly electric.
a running hair
drier has been dropped into your bubble bath (if you get stung by one you
might as well lie down and scream).
4.0+
bullet ant
pure, intense,
brilliant pain.
like walking
over flaming charcoal with a 3-inch nail in your heel. |
