Page 12 - Amazonia

12 12 | Amazonia
Magazine Name

BULLET ANT

The bullet ant takes its name from its potent sting that has been compared to being shot by a firearm.
Entomologist Dr. Justin Schmidt describes the sting from this venomous ant as ‘pure, intense, brilliant
pain. Like walking over a flaming charcoal with a 3-inch nail embedded in your heel.’

The bullet ant has the pain and swelling, the ven-
Paraponera clavata is a most painful insect sting/ om does not cause sickness
species of ant, commonly bite that you can encounter or death, and bullet ants are
known as the Bullet Ant. not encountered in droves
in the world. Sometimes they
fall from higher tree branch- and swarms like army ants.
es and attack when they en- Amazingly,
counter a large, frightening There’s an indigenous tribe
creature, such as a human. in South America that re-
First the bullet ant bites; quires young men to endure
once the mandibles are se- these stings for 10 minutes at
curely squeezing the victim, a time — as many as 20 times
the ant turns its abdomen consecutively, only when this
to sting at the same time. is finished, will the tribe con-
While this may cause some sider the boy an adult.

https://amazoninfocentre.weebly.com/bullet-ant.html or https://theculturetrip.com/south-america/brazil/articles/meet-the-bullet-ant-the-amazons-
most-lethal-insect/