Poisonous insects - poisonous insects

A type of sanitary pest. A general term that includes insects that harm humans by stinging or biting with poisonous needles or hairs, or secreting venom, as well as centipedes, millipedes, and mites. When people are attacked outdoors, they say they have been "infested by a poisonous insect" if they are unidentified. In reality, this includes stinging insects such as mosquitoes, black flies, and midges, venom-secreting insects such as stag beetles and long-horned beetles, and poisonous insects such as hornets, paper wasps, ants, tussock moths, and bagworms. Since the adult tussock moth flies around with poisonous hairs from its larval stage attached to its body, even if it does not come into direct contact with the skin, moths that fly into the light at night will scatter the poisonous hairs, causing the spread of dermatitis in the home and becoming a problem.

[Hiroshi Kurahashi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

衛生害虫の一部。人体を直接毒針や毒毛で刺したり、かみついたり、毒液を分泌したりして危害を与える昆虫のほか、ムカデ、ヤスデ、ダニなどを含む一般呼称。とくに野外で被害にあったとき、正体不明のものについて「毒虫にやられた」と表現する。実際には、カ、ブユ、ヌカカなどの刺咬(しこう)昆虫、アオバアリガタハネカクシ、カミキリモドキ類などの毒液分泌昆虫、スズメバチ、アシナガバチ、アリ、ドクガ、イラガなどの有毒昆虫がこれに相当する。ドクガは幼虫時代の毒毛を成虫が体につけて飛び回るので、直接皮膚に触れなくても、夜間灯火に飛来したガが毒毛を飛散させ、家庭で皮膚炎が蔓延(まんえん)して問題となる。

［倉橋　弘］

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