As a business owner, you are responsible for the safety of your employees. This is particularly important in the extermination industry, due to the potential for interactions with insects that could cause a great deal of pain or even complications. Familiarise yourself with the insect pain index, as well as why you should be aware of it and how to help protect your exterminators from painful stings and bites.

What Is the Insect Pain Index?

The insect pain index is a common name for the Schmidt Sting Pain Index. Entomologist Justin O. Schmidt created this index. It was the result of spending more than a decade being purposely stung and bitten by bugs, then describing the pain and experience.

His interest in the index began from Schmidt’s specialisation in hymenopterans, which include wasps, bees, their cousins, and ants. Schmidt noticed that he would regularly have to deal with painful defensive manoeuvres, jabs, and pinches, and he became interested in the differences.

The insect pain index includes a scale with more than 70 stings. Each is given a rating of between 1 and 4 to represent stings that range from irritating to excruciating..

Yellow Jacket: 2.0

The pain of a yellow jacket sting can last as long as 10 minutes. Schmidt’s description compares it to extinguishing a cigar on the tongue.

Fire Ant: 1.2

Schmidt’s pain rating for fire ant stings assumes you just get stung by one, not a swarm. He describes it as mildly alarming and sudden.

Sweat Bee: 1.0

These bees in the Halictidae family are attracted to perspiration. They do not sting often, but when they do, they get the lowest possible pain rating from Schmidt.

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The Insect Pain Index: Are your exterminators at risk?

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