There are some creepy crawlers in the garden you definitely don’t want to bump into — trust me, I learned the hard way. These 17 insects can turn a peaceful afternoon outside into a real nightmare.
But don’t let that scare you off from enjoying your green space! With a few smart moves, you can keep your garden safe and still have fun digging in the dirt.
Let me show you how to spot these troublemakers and protect yourself like a pro.
1. Fire Ants
These aggressive reddish-brown ants attack in swarms when their mound is disturbed. A single fire ant can sting multiple times, injecting venom that causes intense burning pain and blisters.
Keep your lawn mowed regularly and eliminate standing water to reduce their habitat. If you spot a mound, don’t disturb it yourself – contact professional pest control immediately. Wearing closed shoes and gloves while gardening provides basic protection.
2. Black Widow Spider
Recognizable by the red hourglass marking on its abdomen, this glossy black spider packs a potent neurotoxic venom. They prefer dark, undisturbed areas like woodpiles, garden sheds, and under rocks.
Wear thick gloves when moving stored items or working around rock walls. Regularly clean cluttered areas and shake out gardening gloves before wearing them. Most bites occur when the spider feels threatened, so stay vigilant in their favorite hiding spots.
3. Kissing Bugs
Despite their romantic name, these blood-sucking insects are notorious disease carriers. They bite humans around the mouth while sleeping, potentially transmitting Chagas disease, a serious condition that can cause heart problems.
Seal cracks around windows and doors to prevent entry. Remove woodpiles near your home and keep outdoor lights off when possible as they attract these pests. If gardening at dusk, wear long sleeves and use insect repellent containing DEET.
4. Africanized Honey Bees
Often called “killer bees,” these aggressive insects defend their territory with minimal provocation. They attack in larger numbers and chase perceived threats much farther than regular honey bees.
Avoid wearing dark colors, floral prints, or scented products when gardening. If you encounter a hive, remain calm and slowly back away. Never swat at them or run in a straight line – instead, zigzag toward shelter. Professional removal is essential if you discover a nest.
5. Brown Recluse Spider
This venomous spider has a distinctive violin-shaped marking on its back. Its bite can cause severe tissue damage and potentially life-threatening reactions in some individuals.
They hide in dark, undisturbed areas like garden sheds, under tarps, or in stacked pots. Always shake out stored garden equipment before use. Reduce clutter in storage areas and wear gloves when reaching into spaces you can’t clearly see.
6. Japanese Hornets
These massive hornets can grow up to two inches long and deliver one of the most painful stings in the insect world. Their venom contains a pheromone that attracts other hornets, potentially leading to multiple stings.
Keep food and drinks covered when outdoors to avoid attracting them. If you spot a nest in your garden area, maintain a safe distance and call professional exterminators immediately. Never attempt to remove a hornet nest yourself – their aggression makes this extremely dangerous.
7. Mosquitoes
These common pests are more than just annoying – they’re the deadliest creatures on Earth due to the diseases they transmit. West Nile virus, Zika, and malaria are just a few of the serious conditions they can spread.
Eliminate standing water in your garden where mosquitoes breed. Install bat houses to encourage natural predators. When gardening at dawn or dusk (peak mosquito times), wear long sleeves and use EPA-approved repellents containing DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus.
8. Ticks
These tiny arachnids hide in tall grass and shrubs, waiting to attach to passing hosts. They can transmit serious diseases like Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever through their bites.
Create a tick barrier by placing a three-foot wide strip of gravel or wood chips between wooded areas and your lawn. Wear light-colored clothing so ticks are easier to spot, and tuck pants into socks when working in tick-prone areas. Perform thorough tick checks after gardening.
9. Tarantula Hawks
These large wasps have one of the most painful stings in the insect world. Though not aggressive toward humans, they deliver excruciating pain if handled or stepped on accidentally while gardening.
Wear closed-toe shoes when working in the garden, especially in areas where these wasps are common. They’re attracted to flowering plants, so be extra cautious when tending to blooms. Their metallic blue-black bodies with orange wings make them distinctive enough to avoid with proper vigilance.
10. Scorpions
These arachnids hide under rocks, garden debris, and sometimes even potted plants. Their painful stings can cause intense pain, swelling, and in rare cases with certain species, serious medical complications.
Wear thick gloves when moving rocks, wood piles, or garden materials. Keep your garden tidy by removing debris piles where scorpions might hide. At night, use a UV flashlight during garden inspections – scorpions glow brightly under ultraviolet light, making them easier to spot.
11. Wheel Bugs
Part of the assassin bug family, wheel bugs have a distinctive cogwheel-shaped crest on their backs. Their painful bite feels worse than a bee sting and can take weeks to heal completely.
Though beneficial predators that eat garden pests, they should never be handled directly. Wear gloves when working around plants where they might be hunting. If you spot their barrel-shaped egg clusters on plant stems in fall, leave them alone – their benefits outweigh their risks when left undisturbed.
12. Yellow Jackets
These aggressive wasps become particularly hostile in late summer and fall. Unlike bees, they can sting repeatedly, causing painful welts and potential allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.
Avoid wearing bright colors or floral patterns while gardening. Keep food and sweet drinks covered when outdoors. Their ground nests often appear as small holes in the lawn – mark these areas and contact professionals for removal rather than attempting it yourself.
13. Saddleback Caterpillars
Don’t be fooled by their interesting appearance – these caterpillars pack a painful punch. Their spines contain venom that causes an immediate burning sensation upon contact, followed by inflammation and sometimes nausea.
Wear gloves when pruning plants where they might be feeding, especially oak trees and fruit trees. Learn to recognize their distinctive green body with brown “saddle” marking. If you must remove them, never use bare hands – use long-handled pruners to cut off the affected leaf.
14. Blister Beetles
These slender beetles release a toxic substance called cantharidin when crushed or handled. This chemical causes painful blisters on skin within hours of contact – hence their name.
They’re commonly found on vegetable plants, especially tomatoes and potatoes. When gardening among susceptible crops, wear gloves and long sleeves. If you spot their distinctive elongated bodies, use a stick to knock them into soapy water rather than crushing them, which releases more toxin.
15. Puss Caterpillars
Despite their cute, fuzzy appearance, these are among the most venomous caterpillars in North America. Their soft-looking “hair” conceals toxic spines that cause intense pain, rash, vomiting, and even chest pain in severe cases.
Learn to identify their teardrop shape and variable coloring from tan to gray. When pruning trees where they’re common (oak, elm, citrus), always wear thick gloves. Keep children from touching any fuzzy caterpillars in the garden, as this species appears deceptively harmless.
16. Centipedes
Garden centipedes move quickly and can deliver a painful bite with their venom-injecting forcipules. While rarely dangerous to healthy adults, their bite causes significant pain, swelling, and potential allergic reactions.
They hide under rocks, logs, and in compost piles during daylight hours. Wear gloves when moving potential hiding spots and shake out stored garden shoes before wearing. Though they help control other pests, large house centipedes should be carefully relocated rather than handled directly.
17. Velvet Ants
These aren’t actually ants but wingless female wasps covered in bright fuzzy hair. Their sting is so painful they’re nicknamed “cow killers,” though they’re not actually lethal to cattle or humans.
They’re solitary insects often found running across bare soil in gardens. Their bright coloration (usually red or orange) serves as a warning – heed it! Wear closed-toe shoes when gardening and teach children to admire these striking insects from a distance only.