Stings N' Things: The Connoisseur’s Pain Scale to Arizona's Stinging Insects
The Schmidt sting pain index is a pain scale rating (0-4) of the relative pain caused by different hymenopteran stings. It is mainly the work of Justin Schmidt , an adjunct faculty in the UA Department of Entomology. Schmidt has published a number of papers on the subject, and has been stung by the majority of stinging Hymenoptera. This booth highlights his methods and provides pain scale ratings and colorful descriptions of the pain caused by the stinging insects in Arizona. Explore below!
Pain level 1
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Palo verde bee – Light and ephemeral, almost furry. A hair was yanked from the back of your neck.
Photo by Steve Buchmann
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Arizona native fire ant – Sharp, sudden, mildly alarming. Like walking across a shag carpet and reaching for the light switch.
Photo by Justin Schmidt
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Mud dauber wasp – Alarmingly intimidating. Expect the worst: gotcha, you’re still alive.
Photo by Bill Batiste
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Pain level 1.5
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Cicada killer wasp – A rare, piercing, elevated sort of pain. You just stapled your finger to the paper.
Photo by Justin Schmidt
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Pain level 2.0
Paper wasp – Rich, full bodied, husky. You just dropped a hammer on your big toe.
Photo by Jillian Cowles
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Photo by Justin Schmidt
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Sonoran bumble bee – Burning, corrosive. A flaming match head has landed on your arm and stuck. 
Photo by Steve Buchmann
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Pain Level 3.0
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Red harvester ant – Bold and unrelenting. Somebody is using a power drill to excavate your ingrown toenail.
Photo by Jillian Cowles
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Magnificent velvet ant – Piercing and burning, with an alarming rudeness. Like dousing a cut with habanero hot sauce.
Photo by Jillian Cowles
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Pain level 4.0
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Tarantula hawk wasp – Blinding, fierce, shockingly electric. A 20,000 volt power line just dropped on your sweaty arm.
Photo by Jillian Cowles
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