Hellgrammites have massive curved SICKLE-LIKE JAWS that extend forward dramatically — powerful enough to seize and crush large aquatic prey, and to deliver a painful bite to humans handling them carelessly.
Females have shorter mandibles and CAN deliver a painful bite if handled — the male's enormous jaws are paradoxically less dangerous.
The bite is among the most painful of any North American insect — comparable to a wasp sting and aching for hours.
Giant water bugs ambush prey much larger than themselves: fish, frogs, salamanders, snakes, and small turtles.
Her mandibles are strong enough to snap a wooden pencil in half — and easily cut through human skin.
The bite to humans is among the most painful of any North American insect — comparable to a copperhead bite and slow to heal.
She is one of the most aggressive HUMAN-BITING tick species in North America — actively pursues hosts (running across vegetation toward heat and CO2 sources) rather than waiting passively.
