THAT STINGS! Be on the lookout for the "10 worst biting, stinging insects and pests in the U.S.".

• Author: Ray, Daniel
• Position: HEALTh BEAT

AN AVERAGE of 1,200,000 Americans a year need emergency treatment for bug bites and insect stings, costing an estimated $5,700,000,000 in health care expenses and lost wages, according to a study published by the Southern Medical Journal.

Which pests are worst, and where are particular pests the worst? Our definition of pests is broad, and includes spiders, scorpions, and insects. If it is not a mammal or reptile, we counted it. Here is what we found concerning the 10 worst biting, stinging insects and pests in the U.S.

No. 1, bees. Bees bring honey, pollinate plants, and buzz sweetly. They also are the most-deadly insect in the U.S. Allergic reactions to their stings kill about 62 people a year and send thousands more to emergency rooms. With 4,000 native species, bees can be found in all 50 states.

No. 2, mosquitoes. Worldwide, mosquitoes kill more people than any other insect. They spread malaria, dengue, yellow fever, and West Nile virus. In the U.S., they are widespread but less deadly, found in all 50 states.

No. 3, ticks. Sneaky, annoying, and persistent--that is the life of a tick. Six species feast on human blood, and they particularly are nasty in the Northeast (Lyme disease) and in Colorado (Rocky Mountain spotted fever). Tick-borne diseases have doubled in recent years. Ticks are in 49 states--only Alaska does not have any.

No. 4, yellow jackets, wasps, hornets, tarantula hawk. Stings from these larger flying insects are rarer than those of bees, but boy, can they hurt. Two in particular, the tarantula hawk wasp and cow killer hornet, have some of the most-painful bites of all insects in North America. Entomologist Justin Schmidt describes the tarantula hawk's bite as "blinding, fierce, shockingly electric. A running hair dryer has just been dropped into your bubble bath." Also known as spider wasps, the tartantula hawk thrives in 17 states; the others are found in all 50.

No. 5, kissing bug. This probably is the grossest bug on our list. Attracted by carbon dioxide, this blood-sucking insect bites people on the face, then defecates. If the feces enter your body through the eyes, nose, or mouth, it can spread Chagas disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls Chagas a "neglected parasitic infection" that is carried by an estimated 300,000 people, and up to 30% could--years later--develop life-threatening health problems, including heart disease. Kissing bugs are found in 28 states.

No. 6, black widow spider. Distinctive with its red hourglass marking, the black widow is considered the most-venomous spider in North America, with poison stronger than a rattlesnake's. They prefer dry, dark shelters and are not...