Africa is a haven for dangerous insects that use venom to paralyze their victims. A a venomous insect may or may not be fatal to humans but can still cause a lot of pain and severe illness. Spiders, scorpions, bees, wasps and ants are among the most venomous insects in Africa.
Venomous Spiders
Button spiders are particularly venomous. More commonly known as black widows, their coloring ranges from cream to black, and a bite from a female has the ability to kill a child and seriously harm an adult. Black widows use to paralyze insects before sucking the life out of them but a bite can also cause paralysis in humans. Sac spiders are known to bite more humans than any other spiders. These spiders are quite pale, and their venom kills cells and causes tissue breakdown and blistering at the bite site. They use their venom to paralyze and kill insects.
The six-eyed sand spider is particularly toxic. Found in the African desert, a bite could kill a rabbit in a matter of hours. The venom from one of these spiders causes blood vessel leakage, tissue destruction, paralysis and multiple-organ failure.
Scorpions
Scorpions paralyze their prey by injecting venom through the curved sting at the end of their tails. The African spitting scorpion is the . The granulated thick tailed scorpion likes hard-packed sand and gritty soil, and actively runs about looking for prey. Found in Cape Town and western Zimbabwe, this type of scorpion is highly venomous and kills around six people each year. Commonly found under stones and logs, the South African fattail is considered on of the most dangerous in Africa. Its venom is very potent and can cause death in children. The fattail scorpion is the deadliest of the species. Found in deserts and dry habitats, these scorpions are responsible for several deaths each year. Toxic scorpion stings cause pain, numbness and paralysis, and without treatment, death can occur, of which children are most vulnerable.
Bees and Wasps
A bee sting is venomous and can cause temporary paralysis. If a person is stung several times, her respiratory system can be paralyzed; in people who are allergic to bees, just one sting could have serious consequences. Africanized honey bees, also known as killer bees, are very aggressive and although their venom is no more potent than that of an ordinary honeybee, they are known to attack in greater numbers and to pursue animals and people for far greater distances. As with all other bees, an Africanized honeybee will die after it stings. Spider wasps use venom to paralyze tarantulas before laying a single egg on the tarantula's abdomen that, when hatched, will devour the tarantula from the inside out. A sting from a spider wasp isn't fatal to humans, but the venom causes extreme pain, and antihistamines have to be taken to counteract the effects.
Ants
Harvester ants are one of the most venomous insects in the world. A sting from a harvester ant is more potent than a bee sting and causes pain, burning, hives, temporary paralysis and nausea. Fire ants, found in the western parts of Africa, have a venomous sting that can cause a person's skin to feel like it's on fire. One sting isn't dangerous and can be treated, but if the ants swarm they are capable of killing a person or an animal, and an allergic reaction to a fire ant's sting can cause swelling and paralysis.
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