zoology question

[tanithryudo]

What's the largest insect that is harmful/dangerous to humans? (Looking scary is bonus)

Is there anything along the size of this creature?

Japanese hornet? Tarantula Hawk Wasp? Emperor scorpion? (Ok that last one isn't a flying insect)

Do pesticides work on these things? I mean, if you mass sprayed DDT at them, will they drop dead? I assume that contact insecticides are the fastest way to kill them, right? What kind of chemical would be the fastest killer (or at least used to neutralize a big honkin' bug) without causing immediate harm to humans in the area (ignore any long term damage to environment)?

bird references for myself

Comments

[cashew.insanejournal.com]

Not an entomologist, so I don't know. Although Japanese hornet is a good guess. You might want to look into extinct species, since some prehistoric dragon flies had something like a foot-long wingspan. Whether they were poisonous/harmful to humans...well, your guess is as good as mine.

Carabaryl is a commonly used ingredient in insecticides and has the benefit of being quickly metabolized in vertebrates. The downside is that while there isn't as much lasting effect on neurogenesis as DDT once had, it is a carcinogen. It's still the most commonly used agricultural insecticide.