Insects That Look Dangerous But Are Harmless

Early humans quickly learned to fear venomous snakes that lurked in dark crevices, drawn to the pulse of lifeblood. As a collective, humanity has learned to move past its fear of snakes, but the fear of the uncanny valley exists, a fear thought to have been related to the avoidance of pathogens and corpse matter. Spiders may not inherently be the uncanny valley, but they continue to incur deep-seated fear and disgust. They appear abnormal, with a multitude of spindly legs and bulbous carapaces. 

When it comes to creepy insects, the insect kingdom is out in abundance. Fortunately, many of those sordid-looking insects are harmless, as long as you don’t provoke them. 

Here’s a list of insects and close relatives that look like nightmarish constructs, yet are harmless to humans.

1. Jerusalem Cricket

Found primarily in the dusty western plains of the United States and Mexico, this insect is tuberous, near-sighted, and equipped with powerful, crushing mandibles. It is so unnerving that 19th-century missionaries and farmers were said to utter a mild oath, "Jerusalem!" upon seeing it. When handled roughly, the most it will do is deliver a sharp bite that translates into a pinch. They lack venom and prefer scavenging for decaying roots and tubers, though they will occasionally forage for other insects.  

2. Elephant Hawkmoth Caterpillar

In its larval stage, the elephant hawkmoth appears very Wonderland-esque. When startled, it rears its head segments, emphasizing its signature eyespots to mimic a snake and scare off predators. After its period of metamorphosis, it emerges transformed, becoming a pretty moth with wings of dusky rose and sand-dune brown. 

3. Dobsonfly

With a wingspan of up to seven inches and long, sickle-shaped mandibles, the male dobsonfly bears an ominous presence. Fortunately, its giant mandibles, though grotesque, cannot pierce human skin and are used for wrestling males during courtship. It is the females, which have shorter, stronger jaws, that are the deadlier of the species, as they can deliver a sharp pinch if mishandled. 

4. Giant Water Bugs

Known colloquially in some regions as "toe biters," these aquatic insects are downright ugly to look at. Their bites are rather painful, more painful than bee stings, but the good news is that they will not lead to a trip to the ER. Besides, most are not foolish enough to handle one, and they are rarely encountered – ironically, most victims are children or entomologists. They are voracious predators, hunting small fish, frogs, and tadpoles that amble by. 

5. Robber Fly

Robber flies combine two of people’s least favorite things, robbers and flies. Even their appearance aligns with their thuggish name: they rely on ambush attacks, using a knife-like proboscis to pierce prey and large, multifaceted eyes to track them. While they are highwaymen for unlucky flying prey, robber flies are beneficial to gardeners, hunting an array of garden pests like mosquitoes, wasps, and beetles. They possess no stingers and only bite humans defensively if squeezed. 

6. Weevil

Weevils are like the comedic villains in cartoons whose evil plans are always inevitably foiled. Their long snouts are primarily feeding tools, used to bore into seeds, nuts, and plant tissue. They are among the few on the list that don’t stir up animosity or revolt in the human psyche, as many consider them funky or cute. While some species can become troublesome garden and agricultural pests, most commit misdemeanors like ransacking pantries rather than full-scale felonies.  

7. Hickory Horned Devil

As the caterpillar of the regal moth, this creature truly lives up to its terrifying nickname. Growing up to six inches long, it is adorned with a series of long, curved, black-tipped turquoise horns sprouting right out of its head and thorax. It is quite a sight to see its prehistoric folds slither along a tree branch. Despite its armored appearance, it is sluggish, docile, and venom-free.

8. Camel Cricket

Instinct usually dictates for animals to flee in the face of danger, but camel crickets have an unnerving habit of leaping directly toward perceived threats rather than away from them. Known for their ability to leap impressive distances, they are sometimes mistaken for spiders that have been granted the ability of flight. They are considered minor nuisances when they enter homes and chew through household items, but are generally harmless. 

9. Cicada Killer 

Anything with the word “killer” implies that the attached noun is violent and aggressive. To cicadas, the cicada killer is certainly that – it will drag a cicada down to its underground lair and lay an egg on it, waiting for it to hatch so that its young can consume it while it’s still alive. But this murderer of cicadas is actually harmless to humans; it may only sting when it feels threatened. The males lack stingers, and they are generally docile. 

10. Vinegaroon (Whip Scorpion)

The whip scorpion is like a failed creation that fused the most unpalatable aspects of a scorpion and a spider. Though they can provoke a visceral reaction, their bite is weak and cannot inflict venom. Using pincer-like mouthparts called chelicerae, they masticate their prey into a pulpy mush before consuming it.