5 of the World’s Deadliest Insects Are in Idaho Right Now

Murder hornets. Giant forest scorpion. Goliath birdeater spiders. Googling those bugs and you’ll find nothing but pure nightmare fuel, but are these bugs “the most deadly insects in the world?”

Not at all. Murder hornets got their nickname because they’ve been known to wipe out other species of bees, not humans. It’s highly unlikely that you’ll ever come across the other two in the United States. The giant forest scorpion, the biggest scorpion in the world, is native to India. They’re venomous and can certainly cause humans some discomfort, but their sting isn’t likely to kill you. Goliath birdeaters, the largest spiders in the world, are native to South American rainforests. They’re NOT friendly, but like the scorpions, their venom isn’t known to kill humans. 

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If these creepy crawlies don’t top the list, which ones do? Field and Stream, an outdoor publication that’s been around for 125 years, put together a “taxonomically laid-back” list of the “12 Deadliest Insects in the World.” They acknowledged that technically spiders aren’t insects (they’re arachnids,) but explained that if it was “creepy and crawly and can kill, it’s on the list.” 

If you don’t like bugs, this list may make your skin crawl. Five of the deadly dozen can be found in Idaho. One of the insects on this list did recently put a Washington County man in the hospital because of a disease it's been known to transmit.

Keep reading to find out which creepy crawlies from our region made the list and what makes them so deadly.