The Bullet Ant and the cruel Indian rite of passage for teenagers

History of the name

The ants got their name from early Spanish explorers passing through the jungles of Central America.
Travelers thought they had been shot rather than bitten by an insect when they experienced sudden bursts of debilitating pain. Bullet ants were used as initiation ceremonies to test the courage of young Amazon warriors

Coyote described the pain as "being stabbed with a hot poker"

Bullet ants have long been used as initiation ceremonies to test the mettle of young Amazon warriors. Young men are forced to wear gloves filled with poisonous insects before they are accepted as grown men.

Peterson suffered one bite but was knocked down in pain, on all fours, sweating and screaming, maintaining the insect's reputation at the top of the pain index.

Scientists described the sting in the following terms: "Clear, intense, brilliant pain - like walking on burning coals with a 3-inch nail in the heel." If after reading this article you dream of an ant, you will be surprised at its meaning.

Main characteristics

Bullet ants live in tropical forests of Central and South America. The attachment of this species to forest biotopes is manifested in the construction of anthills at the bases of trees , on trunks, and in large forks.

Attention. These ants have several names reflecting the characteristics of the species. This insect with huge flat jaws is called a killer. However, the strangest name is Ant-24. Ants are called bullets because of their stinging apparatus, killer ants because of their strong poison, and 24 because of the duration of the poison.

Killer ants do not try to bite everyone, paralyze, or kill everyone. They hunt other arthropods the forests. Humans and large animals pose a danger to ants, so these insects are forced to defend themselves.

Bullet ants have the following characteristics:

• body length reaches 2.5 cm;
• color black with a brownish tint;
• the head is large, cuboid with rounded corners;
• eyes round, protruding;
• the abdomen has two additional constrictions.

Due to the size, structure of the jaws and abdomen, ant-24 is difficult to confuse with other representatives of the genus Paraponera Smith.

What is a bullet ant?

The bullet ant, scientifically called Paraponera clavata, is a large ant renowned for the strength of its bite and extreme venomousness - its venom is said to be superior to that of bees and wasps. Ants live in Central and South America in tropical rainforests. Families tend to prefer lowland forests, areas located at an altitude of up to 750 meters above sea level. But individual insects do not limit themselves to the “lowlands” and can live at altitudes of up to 1500 meters. The body length of Paraponera clavata is from eighteen to twenty-five millimeters. The length of the ant's sting reaches three and a half millimeters, the poison reservoir has a length of 1.9 mm and a diameter of 1 mm. There is a three millimeter long duct between the sting and the reservoir. The insect is called a “bullet” because of its bite. They say that the pain is felt for almost a day, which is why the insect is also given the name Hormiga Veinticuatro - “24-hour ant”. On the Schmidt sting strength scale, the bite of a bullet ant is 4+, which means the highest level.

Information about character and lifestyle

Paraponera clavata is characterized by a very developed social structure. Such an ant throughout his life does what he is supposed to do in the family. The colony includes builders, breadwinners, and a female responsible for procreation. They are most often active at night, since at this time they get food. The main principles of the colony are peace and mutual assistance.

But it is worth noting that they do not like their relatives from other families, and clashes and clan enmity often arise. Arthropods dig a deep hole in order for a large family to settle there. Caring for offspring is the responsibility of males and females. The adult, which is responsible for the food production process, brings food products for the larvae, as well as the queen (they almost never leave the nest).

The foraging process is carried out on trees or forest floors, and working individuals can leave the anthill at a distance of more than 40 meters. They develop a special strategy for searching for food, during which each is responsible for completing a specific mission. When returning home, 40 percent of the group brings liquid, 20 percent brings dead pests, and the rest are responsible for vegetation.

Ants that bring cargo have a higher speed of movement than individuals without cargo. If there is a food source close to the nest, they choose it exclusively. It should be noted that the nest is guarded by special guards - groups of several individuals. If an incomprehensible situation arises, they begin to survey the area, and if a dangerous moment arises, the entrance and exit are closed, as well as a warning to other relatives about the onset of danger.

Speaking about the attitude of Bullets towards humans or other creatures, they will not become aggressive until they feel danger. If you approach their home or try to catch it, they will first begin to warn by hissing and secreting a bad-smelling liquid, thereby indicating danger.

Then they insert a sting and release a paralytic poison. Allergy sufferers may face particular harm, and the bite can be fatal.

The Bullet Ant and the Creepy Teenage Rite of Initiation

Today we have with us an extremely attractive resident of South America, distributed from Honduras in the north to Paraguay in the south. This poisonous reptile received its worldwide fame for its wild bite (there is evidence that, when bitten, the Bullet gives out a juicy “TAAAA, SHAAA”). The famous entomologist Justin Schmidt, who decided to test the sting of this animal on himself and create a certain gradation in the severity of the bites, put this fat guy in first place of honor.

Winner of the “bitest insect” competition

This 3-centimeter zucchini has a rather impressive poisonous sting, which can reach 3 millimeters in length, which in relation to its body is much larger than ours. They sting badly, you can’t say anything.

That's it, that's it, it's good to stare at his ass!

The bullet ant, like any other ant, is a social animal and lives with its family, numbering 1500-2000 individuals. They build their apartments at the bases of tree trunks and, less often, in the ground. These little miners also dig 60 cm deep, where their magnificent queen lives.

Sincerely wants to get to know you better

The animal is not aggressive towards humans, but if it encounters a person who is too persistent, the ant begins to hiss unpleasantly and in every possible way warn the idiot that he will have to fire a shot. After this, a warning shot is fired in the form of a stinking secret, in the hope of saving the poor fellow. But if a completely insolent tourist is caught, the ant opens fire to kill.

That's it, Homo Sapiens, you've finished your game.

Over thousands of years of social evolution, local aborigines have come up with an initiation rite - a young boy is bitten to death by these ants. Teenagers are forced to put their hands into special mittens with a huge number of these same ants. Insects bite pubescents for 10 (10, Karl!) minutes. As a result, deaths are common and survivors suffer extensive tissue damage and a long-lasting charcoal-colored hand. But the boy becomes a man after this ritual. Now he can marry and make decisions along with the rest of the adult men of this tribe.

Just wish him luck

And this European clearly didn’t understand what he agreed to.

So, if you hear a whistle and an unpleasant smell somewhere in the wilds of South America, it’s time to sparkle with your intellect and heels. Mom will be happy for you.

You had the Book of Animals and the Bullet Ant with you.

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Appearance and habitat

All bullet ants have the same color - black-brown, and the members of the family do not differ much from each other:

• foragers are the smallest, their length reaches 2.5 centimeters;
• females grow up to 3 centimeters.

Photos of the bullet ant show that the queen ant is similar to other individuals, but has a more rounded abdomen.

The eggs of Paraponera Clavata (paraponera) resemble rice in shape and are pale yellow in color.

On a note!

Each individual has a long stinger and a large head with powerful mandibles. The ant's legs and body are covered with light spines that look like thin needles.

You can meet bullet ants in the territory from Nicaragua to Paraguay. In tropical forests they are found in the roots of trees and less often on the trunks themselves. On average, one hectare of forest is inhabited by four ant colonies.

Bullet Ant. Photo

Appearance and features

Photo: What a bullet ant looks like

The bullet ant has a fairly large body, from 17 to 26 mm in length, covered with a hard shell. Worker ants are smaller in size. The female queen is especially large. The wings located on the lower jaw of the insect are 5-segmented. The lips located on the lower lip are three-segmented. The head of ants of this species is sub-square with rounded corners. The insect's eyes are located in front and are slightly convex and round in shape.

Rainbow is black. There are spurs on the tibia of the hind and middle pairs of legs. The first segment of the insect's abdomen is separated from the rest by a constriction. The hind wings have a developed anal lobe. Insects produce a special pheromone liquid using the Dufour gland; this liquid is a mixture of carbohydrates.

Body color ranges from gray-brown to red. Thin needle-like spines can be seen all over the ant's body. There is a sting about 3-3.5 mm long. The venom reservoir is about 1.10 mm long and about a millimeter in diameter. Between the sting and the venom reservoir there is a duct 3 mm long. The poison contains poneratoxin, which lasts 24 hours and causes severe pain to the victim.

It does not attack unless necessary; before biting, it warns of danger with a characteristic pose and hissing. Paraponera clavata eggs are large, round, cream or off-white in color. The queen ant is distinguished by its particularly large size and large convex abdomen.

Now you know whether a bullet ant is poisonous or not. Let's see where the dangerous insect lives.

Habitat

Bullet Ant Habitat

Residents of Nicaragua, Ecuador, and Paraguay can meet such a dangerous ant. It is also found throughout Central and South America, including areas such as Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, and Brazil. To build a nest, the bullet chooses fallen trees and stumps. In more rare cases, insects build an anthill deep into the soil.

For a full life, a humid tropical climate is most suitable for this species. They definitely need enough moisture to reproduce. If it is not there, then the individuals will try to go as deep into the soil as possible.

Despite the developed network of passages and communications inside the home, it always has only 1 entrance and 1 exit. The path to the anthill is guarded by a pair of soldiers. If they feel threatened, they immediately give a signal to the rest of their brothers.

On a note!

The victim is attacked exclusively in groups. The bites are inflicted instantly, leaving the victim no chance to escape.

In places where this dangerous species of insect lives, the authorities are pursuing an active information policy to prevent contact between local residents and the bullet ant. Be sure to cover the topic of how to behave if bitten by this dangerous species.

Paraponera or “bullet ant” (lat. Paraponera clavata)

Many Indian tribes hold rituals to initiate boys into adulthood. A variety of methods are used for this ritual. Among some South American tribes, one of them is initiation with the help of Paraponera clavata ants. At first glance, it may seem that there is nothing so scary here. Well, an ant bites, it hurts a little and that’s it. But it was not there. The fact is that its bite is almost 30 times more painful than a wasp sting, and this unbearable pain lasts for a whole day.

Paraponera or “bullet ant” (lat. Paraponera clavata) (English: Bullet ant)

These ants live in Central and South America, or more precisely, in the territory from Nicaragua in the north to Paraguay in the south. They build underground nests among the roots of trees at a depth of up to half a meter, which most often have only 1 main entrance and 1 exit.

These are quite large ants. They reach a length of 1.8 to 2.5 centimeters. All individuals have a brownish-black color, regardless of their “social status” in the colony. Even the female is not much different from an ordinary ant, although she is still slightly larger in size.

The “bullet ant” received its name due to its powerful sting with strong poison containing a paralyzing neurotoxin – poneratoxin. Its bite leads to paralysis of the bitten part of the body and convulsions, and is also accompanied by terrible pain. This condition lasts a whole day, after which the unbearable pain begins to gradually subside. For this reason, paraponera is also nicknamed the “24 [hour] ant.” Its bite is deadly for allergy sufferers, as it can cause anaphylactic shock and possibly death.

No matter how terrible and deadly these ants are. They will never attack first. If a curious daredevil approaches the ant very close, the paraponera will first warn with the help of hissing and an unpleasant odor that it is better not to approach it, and if these warning signals do not work, then it will attack with its sting.

Colonies of these ants are not numerous and most often number no more than 1000 individuals.

Larger ants prepare food (foraging), and smaller ones are responsible for brood. They are omnivores, so they will gladly eat both carrion and living prey, which are large insects and small vertebrates. The ants cut their prey into pieces and bring it to the nest. They find their way to “home” along special pheromone trails. Their larvae eat prey without pre-processing the adults. Despite such taste preferences, these ants have a great sweet tooth. They love to drink sweet plant juice and nectar.

With prey - a cicada

And about the initiation ritual with the help of these ants, I suggest you watch a video. And some explanatory information: the Indians “weave” these ants into special “mittens”, which the young men must hold on their hands for 10 minutes. This often leads to temporary paralysis of the hands.

And in this video, one European decided to experience it for himself.

What do they eat?

Bullets are superficial zoonecrophages, meaning they can consume both carrion and live small insects.

Speaking about the diet of hormiga veinticuatro, we can note the following delicacies:

• Pests are small in size, they love to eat flies, cicadas, butterflies, centipedes, small bugs, etc.;
• Vegetation nectar;
• Juice of fruit trees, fruits.

They look for food at night, and this is done exclusively by working individuals. When leaving the anthill, they leave a special mark, releasing pheromones, thereby guaranteeing themselves a return home. The search is carried out in most cases in trees, occasionally on the ground. They are distinguished by the ability to miraculously orient themselves in space, regardless of the time of day. Foraging for food can be done either in small groups or independently.

If large prey is found, it is divided into several pieces so that it can be delivered to the home. One individual will not be able to carry it completely, so delivery is the responsibility of the whole group. If a dead insect is found, then this is considered a fairly decent “catch”, but, more often than not, they go for the purpose of hunting small pests.

Also, the presented arthropods are not against such a delicacy as sweet tree nectar - they obtain it by making small slits inside the tree bark. The adult ant carries droplets of juice into the anthill to feed the larvae, which consume it without the need for a pre-treatment process.

How to recognize

Ant bullet

The bullet ant is one of the largest of its genus.

• The female grows up to 30 mm. The body length of the remaining individuals ranges from 18-25 mm.
• Color can vary from red-brown to deep brown. Males are smaller in size and lighter in color.
• The uterus has a large abdomen for bearing eggs.
• The body consists of 3 segments.
• There are very small needle growths all over the surface.
• The structure is completed by an impressive sting, with which the insect injects poison.

Looking at the photo of a bullet ant, you can clearly see its powerful mouthparts. It serves not only to capture prey, but also to carry food.

An interesting fact about ants concerns their ability to communicate with each other. Bullets have another ability - the ability to make sounds. Before an attack, individuals always hiss, warning of an attack. They do not attack themselves. An ant can bite only if it senses a threat to its nest.

Description and habitat

The bullet ant is one of the largest ants that inhabit the earth. Working individuals reach 2-2.5 cm in length, females are slightly larger (3 cm). The uterus is only slightly larger than the workers. Although in the family of bullet ants there is a division into castes, like their other relatives, there is almost no external difference between them: bullet ants of any status have a black-brown color, a very powerful sting with a capsule of paralyzing poison inside, three pairs 3 -segmental legs, rather large head. The body is covered with needle-like spines (especially the legs).

The only thing in which the uterus is slightly different from the rest of its family is its voluminous abdomen, adapted to the constant gestation of eggs. The eggs in the clutch are round in shape and have a pale yellowish tint.

Paraponera Clavata can be found only in the territory from Nicaragua to Paraguay, with the center of its range in Ecuador (South America).

Natural enemies of the bullet ant

Photo: What a bullet ant looks like

Ants of this species have quite a lot of natural enemies.

Natural enemies of the bullet ant include:

• birds;
• lizards;
• shrews;
• wasps;
• anteaters;
• antlions.

During an attack on an anthill, the column begins to actively defend itself. Ants do not hide in an anthill, but remain to protect their offspring. Often a colony can survive due to the death of some individuals. When attacking enemies, ants of this type bite painfully, thereby disarming the enemy. The enemy's limbs may be paralyzed by the ant's poison and he will retreat. Ants are often attacked when they crawl alone or in small groups.

Interesting fact: Bullet ants can scream quite loudly when in danger, warning other ants of the danger.

Ant nests are often parasitized by the flies Apocephalus paraponerae; they feed on ant secretions. Bartonella bacteria are also often found in the body of ants; they play an important role in the digestive system; with an increase in carbohydrate feeding, the number of bacteria inside the nest increases greatly. The most dangerous enemy for ants is humans. People cut down the forests in which these insects live and destroy anthills. In addition, many Indian tribes use these insects for rituals, after which the insects die.

Benefits and harms

Bullet ants are a fairly peaceful insect; they are not characterized by particular aggression, including their attitude towards people. They most often use their stings to search for food. In addition, this is their main weapon if necessary to protect themselves and their offspring, the nest.

But it is worth noting that even if a threat is approaching, the arthropod will initially warn the enemy with a signal - hissing and a sharp unpleasant odor. Such a signal will make it clear that it is better to let him pass and not touch him, since he will then begin to defend himself. Only in case of lack of reaction and retreat, they attack.

You need to understand that their means of protection has quite strong qualities. It was not so simply called a bullet - when bitten, a person feels the same pain as in the case of a bullet wound. In Central America it is called 24 hours because the acute pain lasts throughout the day. According to the Schmidt scale/index, pain intensity is 4th place, this is the top of the scale if you take all insect bites.

Mortal danger is presented only for people who suffer from allergies. In other cases, bites cause paralysis of the bitten parts of the human body, as well as severe pain and cramps.

This side effect is due to the poneratoxin contained in the poison. This condition accompanies a person for 24 hours, after which the symptoms begin to subside a little.

Many Indian tribes consider Bullets very useful, because, thanks to the force of their bite, they can determine the readiness of boys for adult problems and life, their stability and fortitude are determined.

Their parents specially give them such a test - they put on a sleeve with leaves, where poisonous individuals are present. Such bites do not threaten their lives; after two days they return to normal life and feel great.

Does this insect bring benefit or harm?

In fact, this type of ant is a very peaceful insect. There is no aggression at all, including towards humans. It uses its sting mainly to search for food. In other cases, the ant can use it only for defensive purposes. But even sensing an approaching threat, the ant will first give the enemy a warning signal in the form of a sharp unpleasant odor and hissing. These signals make it clear that it is better not to touch him, as protection will follow in the future. If after this the enemy does not stop, the ant is forced to attack.

The defenses of these ants are very strong. It's not called the bullet ant for nothing. The pain from a bite is practically no different from the pain caused by a bullet wound.

Popularly, in the countries of Central America, this insect is called the 24-hour ant, since the acute severe pain lasts throughout the day.

There is a special scale (Schmidt index) that evaluates the pain intensity of an insect bite. The bullet ant stands at the top of this scale and is ranked 4th.

A bite can pose a mortal danger only to people with allergies. In other cases, the bite only provokes paralysis of the bitten part of the body, severe pain and

convulsions. This is due to the paralyzing poneratoxin contained in the ant's venom. A person remains in this state for about 24 hours, after which all painful symptoms begin to gradually subside.

The bullet ant also brings considerable benefits to many Indian tribes. The strength of his bite is priceless for them: it helps determine whether the boy is ready for adulthood, whether he is strong and stable enough. The parents deliberately arrange a close encounter between the bullet ant and their son. To do this, he is given a sleeve made of leaves in which ants live. During his illness, the boy comes close to death, which is necessary for his test. After all, the bite force of this ant is tens of times greater than the bite force of a bee or wasp. But, as a rule, such a bite cannot threaten life, and after two days the boy feels as usual.

What is the danger?

The scientific name of the species is Paraponera Clavata. A representative of this species received the nickname “bullet” or “killer” due to the presence of a very dangerous substance that insects inject into the victim’s body during a bite. The sensation of a bullet ant bite can only be compared to a direct gunshot wound. Even on the Schmidt scale, which systematized the strength of the bites of various insects, the bite of a bullet takes an honorable first place.

Interesting!

In an Amazonian tribe, Indians use the bullet ant to perform a ritual to transform a youth into a man. To do this, they create a special mitten from plants, in which they collect a large number of dangerous insects. The young man must hold out in the prepared accessory for at least 10 minutes. As a result, paralysis of the limb develops from the pain after the bite. This condition lasts at least a day, after which the negative manifestations completely disappear. You need to endure ant bites about 20 times.

The effect of the poison is due to the presence of a special protein compound called poneratoxin. It has a strong neurotoxic effect on the victim's body. The pain symptom develops immediately after the bite. The substance is produced by a special gland of the ant. The effect of the poison lasts for 24 hours after the bite; this period may increase depending on the resistance of the body of the bitten person.

The cruel ritual of Satere-Mawe

Boys aged 12 must collect bullet ants from the forest, which are then used to make so-called ant gloves. Teenagers, performing a ritual dance, put on and take off ant gloves 20 times within 10 minutes, and the insects that are in them waste no time stinging them. Each glove contains dozens of ants, and the bite of a bullet ant is 30 times more painful than a bee sting. The young men try not to show how much they are in pain, because only those who stoically endure the pain are considered to have passed the initiation rite.

Why is a bullet ant's bite so scary?

By its nature, this insect is not so aggressive that legends can be made about it as a bloodthirsty evil creature. In a situation that is not dangerous for itself, the ant is indifferent to humans as well. But even if for some reason the insect senses a threat, the attack will not occur immediately: first, the ant will try to scare away the potential enemy with a loud hiss, similar to a whistle, and the most unpleasant odor emitted by insects to give a warning signal about a possible upcoming attack. If such methods do not work, the victim himself is to blame.

The sensation of a Paraponera Clavata bite is compared to a gunshot wound, and the pain will last throughout the day, not decreasing for a minute and causing temporary paralysis of the bitten area and blackening of the skin. Hence the popular names of this insect, which were mentioned above.

They say that the pain after such an attack is tens of times greater than the pain after a bee or wasp sting. This is not surprising, since the sting of a bullet ant cannot be called small: its length is 3.5 mm. The poison released into the victim contains a powerful neurotoxin - poneratoxin, which, in fact, causes the described pain and reaction in the body of the bitten person. For a healthy person, the bite is not fatal, and after a day the suffering gradually subsides, but allergy sufferers may not survive after this due to severe intoxication with the poison. It is not for nothing that the bite of this ant is regarded as the most dangerous and painful insect bite in the world.

Bite and poison

The bullet ant is a peaceful insect. He uses his sting for hunting, and tries to scare away the enemy. To do this, the paraponera emits an unpleasant odor and hisses frighteningly. The arthropod stings only if the enemy continues to attack.

The sting of the arthropod is of impressive length - 3.5 mm, the capsule with poison is 1.9 mm. The poisonous substance contains poneratoxin, which causes discomfort in the bitten person or animal.

The bite of a bullet ant causes burning pain and paralysis. The area where the sting entered may turn black.

The Satere-Mawe Indian tribes use bullet ants for a harsh ritual. Sleepy insects are woven into mittens that are put on the boy’s hands. Ten minutes later the instrument of torture is removed. The young man’s hands turn black and stop moving, and the deafening pain lasts for a day.

The bite only threatens the lives of allergy sufferers. It does not pose a mortal danger to other people.

Consequences of a bullet ant bite

The stinging apparatus is located at the end of the abdomen . length is 3.5 mm . The reservoir with poison (1.9 by 1 mm) is located at a distance of 3 mm from the sting . This structure of the apparatus led zoologists to an analogy with the movement of a bullet along the barrel of a firearm. This is how the ant received its main name.

ant venom is not lethal to large animals. However, after being bitten, any creature loses interest in the anthill for 24 hours. During the day it will be busy with its pain. This is the purpose of the poison of ants that know how to defend themselves.

A person feels severe pain for 24 hours . The bite site and adjacent tissues are covered in paralysis.

Among the Indians of South America, there is an initiation ritual using the poison of a bullet ant. Teenagers wear gloves with ant stings on their hands. Within 10 minutes of wearing gloves, the young men's hands are completely paralyzed. Paralysis lasts 24 hours, and the fingers regain mobility after 2-3 days.

Important. The area bitten by the ant hurts, loses mobility, and changes color to almost black. This is how blood stagnation with capillary hemorrhages manifests itself. The injured person is provided with symptomatic care. A cooling bandage is applied to the bite site. Painkillers help you endure the pain.

A person can meet dangerous ants in the jungle, since they do not live in dwellings and settlements . When in the rainforest, caution should be exercised near tall, spreading trees .

If you are bitten , try to go to your home, clearing, road, take painkillers , drink plenty of water, as it helps flush the poison from the body.

Pain Remedies

We used all the folk remedies, I thought maybe ice would help. We went to the restaurant. I took the ice from the drinks and put it on my finger. It worked. As long as I kept the ice on my finger, the pain stopped. But this didn't solve the problem. As soon as the ice was removed, the waves of pain returned.

The ant is a social animal that lives in colonies of 1000 to 3000 individuals. They have colonies to defend themselves. The bite must do long-term damage to create a distraction. The purpose of a tarantula bite is for the predator to release it. In order to do this, he must cause instant pain.

The pain of a tarantula bite is as if you were walking under a high-voltage power line in a gale, the wind broke the line and it fell on your hand.

You get 20,000 volts cascading through your body at once. It's electric pain. Flow-through. Very clean and sharp. The good news is that it lasts about three minutes. You won't get waves like you would from a bullet ant. It's just one super intense explosion.

It goes away within two or three minutes, but it hurts so much that you don't notice it going away. But suddenly, when you finish screaming in pain, your strength is completely exhausted, look at the clock and realize that it only lasted a few minutes. Marvelous.

Millions of people watched the chilling moment when an intrepid TV presenter forced a bullet ant to bite his hand.

Within seconds, the sting pierced the skin. The 35-year-old man was writhing on the ground screaming in pain.

He screamed, “I am experiencing hot, radiating waves of pain. I feel like someone hit me with a hot poker. I feel poison. It's pulsating."

The ant bite literally knocked the fearless filmmaker off his feet. These incredible scenes show how he reached the heights of the so-called pain index, feeling the wrath of the bullet ant.