The Genesis of the Schmidt Sting Pain Index
Early in his career, Justin Schmidt, a budding entomologist, faced a unique challenge.
He and his zoologist wife, Debbie, had returned to the University of Georgia after an extensive expedition across the United States, collecting various species of harvester ants.
These “nasty stinging insects,” as Schmidt described them, had venom chemistries that were largely uncharted.
To delve into the specifics of their venom for his dissertation, Schmidt needed to analyze vast numbers of these ants, necessitating close and often painful interactions.
Debbie’s first encounter with a harvester ant sting was nothing short of excruciating.
She recounted it as a “deep ripping and tearing pain, as if someone were reaching below the skin and ripping muscles and tendons; except the ripping continued with each crescendo of pain.”
Such intense experiences underscored the need for a systematic way to measure and compare the pain inflicted by various insect stings.
While toxicity could be assessed using existing measures, there was no standardized scale to quantify the pain of insect stings.
This gap led to the creation of the ‘Schmidt Sting Pain Index,’ a four-point system anchored by the familiar sting of a honey bee, rated as a two.
To move up or down a full point, a sting had to be discernibly more or less painful than those on another level, with half points used for stings that fell in between.
Challenging Common Perceptions
It’s a common assumption that all insect stings are relatively similar in sensation—sharp, immediate, and subsiding quickly.
However, Schmidt’s research revealed a vast spectrum of pain experiences, each unique in its intensity and character.
Over the years, often unintentionally, Schmidt was stung over 1,000 times by at least 83 different species, each contributing to the depth and breadth of his pain index.
A Journey Through the Pain Scale
Let’s explore some of the most notable entries from Schmidt’s index, illustrating the diverse sensations these stings can produce:
1. Red Fire Ant (Solenopsis invicta)
Range: Native to South America
Description: Sharp, sudden, mildly alarming. Like walking across a shag carpet and reaching for the light switch.
Pain Level: 1
The red fire ant’s sting is a common experience for many, especially in its native regions.
The pain is immediate but fleeting, often catching the victim off guard but subsiding quickly.
2. Western Cicada Killer (Sphecius grandis)
Range: North America
Description: “Pain at first sight. Like poison oak, the more you rub, the worse it gets.”
Pain Level: 1.5
Despite its intimidating size, the western cicada killer’s sting is surprisingly mild.
The initial pain can be exacerbated by agitation, much like the irritation caused by poison oak.
3. Western Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)
Range: Native to Africa and Europe
Description: “Burning, corrosive, but you can handle it. A flaming match head lands on your arm and is quenched first with lye and then sulfuric acid.”
Pain Level: 2
The honey bee’s sting is familiar to many and serves as the benchmark for Schmidt’s scale.
The sensation is intensely burning but manageable, often subsiding within a few hours.
4. Western Yellowjacket (Vespula pensylvanica)
Range: North America
Description: “Hot and smoky, almost irreverent. Imagine W.C. Fields extinguishing a cigar on your tongue.”
Pain Level: 2
Yellowjackets are notorious for their aggressive behavior, and their sting delivers a sharp, burning pain that can linger, much like the sensation of a burn on the tongue.
5. Fierce Black Polybia Wasp (Polybia simillima)
Range: Central America
Description: “A ritual gone wrong, satanic. The gas lamp in the old church explodes in your face when you light it.”
Pain Level: 2.5
This wasp’s sting is both unexpected and intense, evoking a sense of a sudden, fiery explosion.
6. Velvet Ant (Dasymutilla klugii)
Range: North America
Description: ”Explosive and long-lasting, you sound insane as you scream. Hot oil from the deep fryer spilling over your entire hand.”
Pain Level: 3
Despite being called an ant, this creature is actually a wasp. Its sting is notorious for its intensity and duration, often causing victims to vocalize their discomfort involuntarily.
7. Florida Harvester Ant (Pogonomyrmex badius)
Range: North America
Description: ”Bold and unrelenting. Somebody is using a power drill to excavate your ingrown toenail
Pain Level: 3
The harvester an]t’s sting is deeply penetrating and persistent, often compared to intense drilling sensations.
