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Stinging things suck!

Back in the States, getting stung was unpleasant, but that was usually the end of it. Here in Panama, it’s a different story entirely. The insects seem to come equipped with venom that packs a much harder punch.

Take the tiny ants, for example. They look harmless enough, but when they bite, it feels like someone has pressed a lit match head against your skin. The result is a cluster of small, angry welts that linger for days. Then there’s a little bee whose sting doesn’t just hurt much, it triggers serious swelling that can hang around for a good 48 hours.

And of course, there are the scorpions. The black ones deliver a sting that is brutally painful, while the brown ones are “only” highly painful, small comfort when either leaves you throbbing for about 24 hours. We expected them to be far more dangerous, but after being stung several times over the past two years, we’ve found it to be mostly just very annoying and painful, rather than life-threatening.

There are probably more creatures in this cast of tiny tormentors, but we’ve been fortunate to keep our encounters limited so far. Still, it’s hard not to notice how life in the rainforest has shaped these animals. Out here, even the smallest creatures seem to have evolved serious defenses, as if the jungle itself insists on being respected.

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