Bullet Ant

The most painful insect sting in the world. This 2.5 cm ant, revered and feared, produces a neurotoxic venom that causes intense pain for 24 hours, described as "being shot by a bullet."

Paraponera clavata, the bullet ant or "bala," is a primitive ant in the Formicidae family inhabiting lowland wet forests from Nicaragua to the Amazon. It is a large ant, up to 2.5 cm long, reddish-black in color. Its visible stinger injects poneratoxin, a neurotoxic peptide that blocks sodium channels, causing burning, throbbing pain lasting up to 24 hours. On the Schmidt pain index it is rated 4+, the maximum. Despite its fearsome reputation, it is not aggressive unless its nest is disturbed. In some indigenous cultures, such as the Sateré-Mawé, it is used in initiation rituals where young men must endure multiple stings.

Habitat

Lowland wet tropical forests, from sea level to 750 meters