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Poisonous insects of Kolhapur, India and their treatment

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 ISSN (online): 2320-4257
3(1); 235-242 www.biolifejournal.com
AN INTERNATIONAL QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF BIOLOGY & LIFE SCIENCES

BIOLIFE RESEARCH A RTICLE

Poisonous insects of Kolhapur, India and their treatment

T. V. Sathe1, Nishad Sathe2, Aruna Sathe3, Dattatraya Ghodke4 and Asawari Ghodke5
1
Department of Zoology, Shivaji University, Kolhapur 416 004, (M.S.), India.
2-3
Sangivani Clinic, Sangawade, Kolhapur, India.
4.
MGM Medical College and Hospital, Kamothe, New Mumbai.
5
.Health Spring Community Medical Centre, Washi, New Mumbai.

E-mail: : [email protected]

ABSTRACT

Kolhapur is located between 15o to 17o North Latitude and 73o to 74o East Latitude with uneven rainfall ranging
from 700 mm to 6000 mm and with several types of water bodies and hence with rich biodiversity including
poisonous insects. Poisoning from insects is increasing in recent years. Therefore, poisonous insects of
Kolhapur region, India have been reported with respect to morphological features, life cycle pattern, poison
source, nature of poison, control of poisonous insects and treatment to patients against poisoning. In all, 27
poisonous insects have been reported belonging to the orders Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Hemiptera
and Dictyoptera. Hymenoptera and Lepidoptera were dominant orders in the region. Hymenoptera represented
by 11 species and Lepidoptera 9 while, Coleoptera, Hemiptera and Dictyoptera orders represented by 3, 2 and 2
species respectively. The insects were controlled by spraying 0.15% Carbaryl or 5% Diazinon or 0.5%
Dichlorvos or 1.5% Baygon Symptomatic treatment has been advised with anti-allergic drugs and ayurvedic
plant juices of tulsi, marigold and periwinkle as wound healing component.

Key words: Poisonous insects, poison source & nature, Insect control, poison treatment.

INTRODUCTION been attempted by Lefroy & Howlett (1909),

Strother (1985), Southcott (1978, 1987),
Insects not only act as pests of human property Shrivastava (1993), Floater (1998), Sathe
(1998,2007,2014,2015), Isbister & Whelan
but also lead fatal problems to humans by
(2000), Whelan (2010), Kochler & Diclaro
transmitting certain diseases and causing direct
(2011), Bhoje et al., (2014), Sathe & Jadhav
poisoning. In USA, on the basis of death
(2014) etc.
certificates more humans are died due to insect
poisoning than to snake venoms. Two to three
MATERIALS AND METHODS
million people in the United States are severely
allergic to the venom of stinging insects
Poisonous insects have been collected from
(Strother, 1985). In India, no records are
various ecosystems of Kolhapur region, India.
available on insect poisoning and death
The district Kolhapur is located between 15o to
occurred. Therefore, present study is aimed to
17o North latitude and 73o to 74o East longitude
report the diversity of poisonous insects with
acquiring 1, 46,575 hectares of land with uneven
respect to their identifying features, life cycle
rainfall ranging from 700 mm to 6000 mm. The
pattern, source and nature of poison and control
survey of poisonous insects was made during the
including treatment to poisoning. Review of
years 2012 to 2014. Life cycles and food plant
literature indicates that poisonous insects have

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T.V. Sathe et al Copyright@2015

record was studied by spot observations and also iii) Anti allergic drugs like - Cetrizine be
in the laboratory conditions (27±1oC, 75-80% advised.
R.H. and 12 hr photoperiod). Morphological iv) Treat the wound with Ice and Sodium
features have been noted with the help of bicarbonate.
compound microscope and insects were v) Against caterpillar venomous wound, baking
identified consulting experts and appropriate soda, carbolated vaseline, ammonia or
literature cited under references. The sources of calamine lotion be treated.
poisons in insects have been detected by vi) Against cockroach poisoning smooth lotion
dissecting the body parts and taking the chemical and antiallergic drugs be used.
tests. The persons suffering from insect poisons
were treated by anti-allergic drugs and ayurvedic DISCUSSION
treatment by extracting juice from leaves of
marigold and tulsi and from flowers of According to Shrivastava (1993) insect venoms
periwinkle. are introduced into the body of man and animals
in one of the following three ways :
RESULTS
i) by the bite ii) by the sting and iii) by the
Results are recorded in table - 1 and figs. 1 to 11 contact. There are three categories of insects that
indicates that 27 species of poisonous insects are poisons namely stinging, biting and
belonging to the orders Hymenoptera, vesicating. In bees, wasps and ants the ovipositor
Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Dictyoptera and was modified to function as stinging apparatus.
Hemiptera have been reported from the region of In bees, stinging apparatus has 3 major
Kolhapur, India. The orders Hymenoptera and components, a piercing shaft or dart composing a
Lepidoptera were dominant (table-1) over others. pair of stylets and a pair of lancets, and distally
Hymenoptera represented 11 species and barbed structure, two pairs of layers to which the
Lepidoptera 9 species while, Coleoptera, y-shaped arms of the shaft are attached and
Dictyoptera and Hemiptera represented by 3, 2 worked by powerful muscles and a pair of
and 2 species respectively (Table-1). glands, a long and slender acid gland opening on
Morphological features, life cycle pattern, source top of a large poison sac into poison gland. A
of poison and nature of poison are represented in small alkaline poison gland is located at the base
table-1. of the poison sac which also opens into poison
duct. Due to the barbed tips of the piercing shaft,
Control and Treatment : the sting gets stuck into the wound and then
 Poisonous insects be carefully collected with detached, continuing to operate even in the
the help of insect net and containers and detached condition. Wasps, ants and bees
killed in dipping into kerosinised water showed sting.
 Caterpillars have been controlled by 0.15%
Carbaryl spray and by using parasitoids & In most of the insects poison glands were
predators (Sathe, 2014). modified from accessory glands (Shrivastava,
 Bees and Wasps have been controlled by 1993). According to Shrivastava (1993) bees
0.5% dichlorvos or 1.5% Baygon spray. were divided into two groups namely, those that
 Ants have been controlled by 5% Diazinon sting to kill and those that sting to paralyze. The
and destroying their nests. former posses two poison glands, the acidic and
alkaline glands. The poison of this group was the
Treatment : combination of the acid and alkaline fluids
i) Sting apparatus be removed from body which resulted in death or caused extreme pain
immediately. and reactions in man. In bee venom the chief
ii) Apply juice of flowers of periwinkle and components were a protein called melittin that
juice of leaves of marigold or tulsi to has powerful haemolytic allergic actions in
wounds. humans. The enzymes such as lecithinase

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T.V. Sathe et al Copyright@2015

(Phospholipase-A) and hyaluronidase have also (1985) Hymenopterous insects like ants, bees,
played a very important role in poisoning hornets and yellow jackets caused more severe
reactions. Lecithinase inhibited lactic allergic reactions than other insects. The
dehydronages and citric acid cycle substrates imported fire ant inflicted a very painful sting
leading to intense pain in the victim while, the resulting in postulation at the sting site.
enzyme hyaluronidase helped to spread other
components to the tissues. According to Strother

Table-1: Poisonous insects from Kolhapur region including Ghats.

Sr. Poison
Insect Features Life cycle Nature of poison
No. source
1 2 3 4 5 6
Larger, deep
brown with
Wasp Vespa Several
yellow band Serotonin, can kill
orientalis Linn. generations Sting and
1 across man, cause
(Vespidae : completed in a sting gland
abdomen, with swelling.
Hymenoptera) single year
petiolate
abdomen
Large, rust red
Vespa ducalis Several
and hairy with Serotonin, can kill
Smith generations Sting and
2 transparent man, cause
(Vespidae : completed in a sting gland
wings with swelling
Hymenoptera) year
conical nest
Medium sized,
Polistes hebraeus uniformly yellow Several
Serotonin, can kill
(Fab.) with petiolate generations Sting and
3. man, cause
(Vespidae : abdomen and completed in sting gland
swelling
Hymenoptera) with rounded single year
nest
Melittin
Largest bee, Sting & Can kill man,
Life cycle
Apis dorsata* 1.5 cm long poison Cause irritation and
completed
4. (Apidae : hives 6 ft long, glands swelling,
within 15-20
Hymenoptera) yield 36 kg Acid & alkali Enzymes
days
honey/comb. glands Lecithinase &
hyaluronidase
Medium sized,
1 cm long,
Apis indica * Make parallel Life cycle Melittin & enzymes
Sting & sting
5. (Apidae : comb, completed in Cause swelling &
gland
Hymenoptera) Yield 1.5 to 4.5 about 18 days irritations
kg honey /
comb.
Several
Small sized. generations
Make about 500 completed in a Sting &
6 Apis mellifera Melittin
colonies, honey single year. Life sting gland
yield 45-181 kg. cycle completed
in 16 days
Camponotus Black, large, Queen can Mandible Formic acid, create
7 compresus (Fab.)* wingless, survive for poison wounds when bite
(Formicidae - polymorphic, several years glands cause irritations

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T.V. Sathe et al Copyright@2015

Hymenoptera) mandibles with (3-15 years)

more than 5
teeth, unarmed
Propodeum
Monomorium
unarmed, Many
gracillimum Sting Formic acid/
8. evenly rounded, generations in a
(Formicidae - apparatus Iridomyrmecin
pronotal single year
Hymenoptera)
dorsum convex
Palp formula 5,
Oecophylla 4; Many
smaragdina * Mandible with generations Sting
9. Iridomyrmecin
(Formicidae - 10 or more completed in a apparatus
Hymenoptera) teeth; petiole single year
reduced
Apical margin of
mandible with 8 Many
Formica sp.*
teeth. 3rd tooth generations Sting
10. (Formicidae - Formic acid
of mandible is completed in a apparatus
Hymenoptera)
smaller, shorter single year
than fourth
Blister beetles Lytta Metallic shining Hypermetamorp
Accessory
spp.* greenish or hosis, one Acidic substance
11. glands,
(Moloidae : bluish, generation in a cantharidin
blood
Coleoptera) or brownish single year
Blackish with
Hypermetamorp
yellow or red Accessory
Mylabria pustulata hosis, one Acidic substance
12 zigzag bands glands,
generation in a cantharidin
on elytra, blood
single year
elongated
Hypermetamorp
Mylabria phalerata Accessory
Black with hosis, one Acidic substance
13 (Moloidae : glands,
sigzag marking. generation in a cantharidin
Coleoptera) blood
single year
Head longer,
subcylindrical or
convex above,
Tritoma sp. Life cycle
antennae Salivary Toxin aenesthetic,
14. (Ruduviidae : completed in
inserted at or gland anticoagulin.
Hemiptera) one year
near the middle
of anteocular
portion
Larva light
brown, hairy;
Caterpillars Ceryx
moth with 6 and Life cycle
godarti
3 clear completed
15. (Syntomidae : Hairs Formic acid
transparent within 47-48
Lepidoptera)
spots on fore days
and hind wings
respectively.
Larva dull
Amata passalis whitish brown, Life cycle
16. (Amatidae : hairy, with shiny completed Hairs Formic acid
Lepidoptera) head. Moth with within 50 days
7&4

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T.V. Sathe et al Copyright@2015

transparent
spots on fore
and hind wings
respectively
Amsacta moorei
Larva reddish Life cycle
Butler
17. amber to olive completed Hairs Formic acid
(Arctiidae -
green, hairy within 20 days
Lepidoptera)
Life cycle
Amsacta albistriga
18. Larva hairy completed in 30 Hairs Formic acid.
Wlk.
days.
Larva beautiful
coloured with
green, blue and
pink spots and
Natada velutina with 8 branched
Life cycle
Koll.* spines, 4 Formic acid
19. completed on Spines
(Limacodidae : anteriorly and 4 extremely irritant.
mango.
Lepidoptera) posteriarly.
Moth is red,
brown with wing
expanse of 3
inch.
Larva green,
branched spiny
Thosea cana Wlk.* with double row Life cycle
20. (Limacodidae : of tubercles completed on Spines Formic acid irritant.
Lepidoptera) bearing spines. castor.
Moth is dull
brown.
Euproctis Sp.* Life cycle
Larva blackish
21. (Limantriidae : completed in Hairs Formic acid irritant.
brown, hairy.
Lepidoptera) about 30 days.
Larva
Life cycle
Parasa lipida Cram. segmented Formic acid
completed on
22. (Limantriidae : above and Spines produces
castor and
Lepidoptera) bears spinous dermatitis.
mango leaves.
tubercles.
Cricula trifenestrata Life cycle
Unidentified toxin
Helf.* Larva clothed completed on
23. Spines body decay as in
(Saturnidae : with spines. leaves of
leprosy.
Lepidoptera) mango.
Periplanta Flat bodied, Allergic substance,
One generation
americana Linn. brownish, with cause linear
24. completed in a Glands.
(Blattidae : filiform antenna dermatitis, edema
single year.
Dictyoptera) and cerci. of eye, urticaria.
Flat bodied, Allergic substance,
Blattella orientalis Life cycle
brownish, cause linear
25. (Blattidae : completed in 6 Glands
shorter than P. dermatitis, edema
Dictyoptera) weeks.
americana. of eye, urticaria.

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T.V. Sathe et al Copyright@2015

Life cycle
Cimex lectularius Flat bodied, completed in
Linn. mahogany 20-30 days. Itching,
26. Glands
(Cimicidae : brown, suck 4 generations inflammatory wale.
Hemiptera) blood of man. produced in a
single year.
Bluish metallic Life cycle
Ampulex compressa Unidentified toxin
shining, about completed on Ovipositor /
27. (Ampulicidae : cause itching,
one inch long cockroach Sting
Hymenoptera) swelling.
with ovipositor. body.

* = also found in Western Ghats

Reactions to insect stings may be immediate, forming blisters on human body. In the present
within two hours or delayed, after two hours. study M. postulata and M. phalerata have been
The most common type was immediate local reported as cantharidin and blister producing
reaction consisting immediate pain, swelling and insects. They mostly attracted to light and rush
redness which was supposed to be a normal in to the bed when windows kept open and light
reaction. The reaction may become very large, kept on and crushed on the human body during
involving entire arm, but not considered serious the sleep (Sathe, 2014).
unless the reaction occurred on head, face or
neck (Strother, 1985). In sensitive persons Vesicating insects have ability to produce some
swelling of eyes and lips, hives breaking out on kind of skin eruption due to venom. Articarial
the body, tightness in the chest, faintness and caterpillars and blister beetles come under this
difficulty in breathing, etc were possible. category. According to Srivastava (1993)
urticarial caterpillars have been reported in about
Any combination of above symptoms need 10 families and over 50 species in order
consult of physician. However, delayed local Lepidoptera. The important families refer to
reaction to an insect sting generally consists of a Saturnidae, Noctuidae, Lymantridae and
large local swelling which need consultation and Nymphalidae. The cocoons and moths showed
treatment from physician. urticating hairs containing toxins, by contact
through wind they caused severe dermatitis. An
The wasp venom was rich in serotonin (5- intense burning pain with papules, first white
hydroxy-tryptamine) and hyaluronidase and in and then red that spread to several inches around
some cases acetylcholine also (Shrivastava, the affected area. Such things were more
1993). The mermicine ants showed dangerous to children leading to fever, nausea
iridomyrmecin in the poison which interacted and nervous symptoms. Serious disturbances
with human like DDT while, the formicine ants were recorded by inhalation or ingestion of
like Camponotus spp. and Formica spp. have poison hairs in children and adult humans.
showed rich formic acid in their venom. A few According to Strother (1985), in venomous
stings can cause a toxic reaction even in a non- caterpillars, poison glands are associated with
sensitive person. Young children were more stiff and hollow spines which penetrate the skin
susceptible since they cannot brush off the upon contact, release the toxins and cause
swarming insects (Ants). In biting insects like reddened skin and inflammation spreading
fleas, stable flies, Tritoma bugs thrips the several inches around the contact site. Such
salivary glands were the source of venom. Such effects are produced by the puss caterpillars. In
toxins contained anticoagulin and anesthetics. some persons, the leg or arm became noticeably
Blister beetles Mylabris spp. produced a toxic swollen and tender and was accompanied in
substance named cantharidin, which was some cases by severe headaches. Similarly, the
anhydride of cantharidic acid and responsible for larva of hag moth showed nine pairs of lateral

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T.V. Sathe et al Copyright@2015

Fig 1. V. orientalis Fig 2 . A. dorsata Fig 3. A. compressa

Fig.4. Tetraponera rufonigra Fig. 5 M. indicum Fig. 6. Polyrachis sp.

Fig.7 A. passalis Fig.8. A. albistriga Fig. 9. N. velutina

Fig. 10. A. moorei Fig. 11. Cocoon of moth

with poisonous hairs.

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 T.V. Sathe et al Copyright@2015

processes from which the stinging hairs were (Tropical India). Today & Tomorrow's Print &
borne. The longer processes were curved and Publi. New Delhi. Pp.521-523.
twisted, suggesting the descended look of a hag. 7. Sathe T.V., (1998) Sericultural Crop Protection.
Similarly, in present study N. velutina Pp. 7-9. Asawari Publi. Os'bad.
caterpillars showed branched processes of 8. Sathe T.V., (2007) Biodiversity of wild silk
months from Western Maharashtra, India. Bull.
poisoned spines which were highly imflamatory. Ind. Acad. Seri., 2(1), 21-24.
Likely, C. trifenestrata larvae also showed 9. Sathe T.V., (2014) Harmful Syntomids
poisonous spines although the larvae were used (Syntomidae : Lepidoptera) of agro and forest
in silk industry for production of golden silk in crop plants from Western Maharashtra, India.
Indonesia. In India, this silk worm is neglected Cib. Tech. J. Zool., 3(3), 22-25.
(Sathe, 2007 and Pawara et al, 2014), probably 10. Sathe T.V. (2014) Ecology, epidemiology and
due to its poisonous nature. Therefore, correct control of Sand flies from Kolhapur region,
identity, life cycle pattern, poison source, India. Int. J. Pharma. Bio.Sci; 5 (4), (B), 1037-
intensity of damage to humans, control of 145..
poisonous insects and treatment against infected 11. Sathe T.V. (2014) Recent Trends in biological
persons are useful aspects of human health care pest control. Pp 1-204, Astral Int. pvt,ltd, New
Delhi..
and present work will add great relevance. 12. Sathe T.V. (2015) Insects for human diet from
Kolhapur region, India. Int. J. Pharma.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Bio.Sci;6(1) (B), 519-527.
13. Sathe T.V. and Jadav Divya (2014) Ecology and
Authors are thankful to Shivaji University, control of eye flies Siphunculina spp.
Kolhapur; Sangivani Clinic, Sangawade, (Chloropidae:Diptera). Int. J. Pharma. Bio.Sci;
Kolhapur; MGM Medical College and Hospital, 5(4) (B), 214-220.
Kamothe, New Mumbai and Health Spring 14. Shrivastava K.P. (1993) Venomous Arthropods
Community Centre, Washi, New Mumbai for and Treatments of their venoms in (edt. K.P.
providing facilities. Shrivastava) A text book of Applied
Entomology. Pp-262-269.
15. Southcott, R.V. (1978) Lepidopterism in the
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