Lesser known stinging insects
Some insect species are not well known for their full potential. When it comes to stinging insects there are a few lesser known critters that are capable of delivering a painful sting when in self-defense mode. Some insects like the cicada killer are solitaire for the most part never stinging unless otherwise provoked. Midges and fire ants can attack in large numbers sending people to the ER or urgent care when least expected.
midge
Midges are typically a nuisance pest to campers, fishermen, hunters, hikers, and gardeners. Anyone who spends time outdoors in the early morning and evenings, might be readily bitten. Midge bites are irritating. Commonly mistaken for mosquitos, midges are tiny flies separated into two distinct families - biting and non-biting midges. Both are a pain when enjoying outdoor life.
cicada killer
Female cicada killers have stingers that plunge into cicadas injecting venom to paralyze them. Their stings are painful but, they are not aggressive and do not have the same instincts of a honey bee or hornet.
wheel bug
Wheel bugs looks like a prehistoric left-over ready to attack and kill at will. But, the fact is they are true bugs capable of flight in the family Reduviidae that appear in and around homes throughout the mid-atlantic region of the United States in mid to late summer, with continued sightings through early fall. Wheel bugs can deliver an extremely painful bite that may result in long-lasting swelling, rash, and painful irritation due to secondary infections. Wheel bugs are not aggressive and they help control insects like caterpillars and Japanese beetles.