Coyote Peterson, host of Brave Wilderness on YouTube, brings his viewers close to wildlife.
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He’s especially well-known for his hands-on approach showing how animals defend themselves through bites and stings, and creating teachable moments. To help viewers get up close and better understand animals from snapping turtles to bears to wasps, Coyote agrees to be the guinea pig.
Quick note: It’s important to remember that Peterson is a professional with safety measures like an epinephrine pen and other trained professionals to help if needed. Do not try these things at home or anywhere else.
That said, let’s look at ten of his most painful-looking stings and bites.
The Cow Killer
The cow killer, also called the red velvet ant, is not an ant but a wasp. Coyote says the insect is known to have the fourth most painful sting in the insect world. The pain can last for up to 30 minutes. Although there’s no documented history of it, the creature’s sting is said to be painful enough to kill a cow. Hence the name.
The Devil’s Toilet Paper
Coyote heads to Australia for the next video to track down an Australian Giant Stinging Tree.
Nicknamed the devil’s toilet paper, the tree can grow up to 100 feet. The tree’s leaves are covered in nettles and have a toxin that only adds to the pain. Once stung, the pain only increases. Coyote says this is one of the worst stings he’s ever felt. In the video, Coyote does go through the process of removing the stinging sensation.
Alligator
After viewer demand, Coyote Peterson agrees to get bit by the common American alligator.
Alligators live throughout the southeast, this reptile is known for its powerful jaws, and the animal can be deadly to people. Records show that from 1948 to 2021, 442 people were victims of unprovoked bites in Florida alone. Twenty-six of those were fatal.
Obviously, Coyote can’t let a full-grown alligator bite him, so they use a much small specimen, but it looks excruciating nonetheless.
The Bullet Ant
Coyote Peterson initially believed the bullet ant was the animal with the most painful sting, but he later reassessed as his adventures continued. However, this is still one of the worst-looking encounters.
Coyote says the ant’s sting feels as bad as being shot with a gun. The animal is also known as the 24-hour ant, as the pain lasts a whole day.
It looks painful.
Alligator Snapping Turtle
The alligator snapping turtle is a prehistoric-looking animal found in freshwater in the U.S.
To build up the suspense, Coyote tests the jaw strength of the turtle with a turkey leg that the turtle demolishes. After witnessing that, Coyote decides to use extra protection for his arm. Even with the additional support, it still looks very painful, and eventually, the turtle manages to break Coyote’s skin.
Sea Lamprey
This one is easy to make you feel squeamish as one of these giant parasites latch onto Coyote’s neck.
The sea lamprey looks like something out of a sci-fi movie, with an eel-like body and rows of teeth that allows the animal to suction onto its prey.
The team heads to Michigan, where the sea lamprey is an invasive species in the Great Lakes. Despite his best efforts, getting the lamprey to latch on initially is not easy, with Coyote giving these fish ample opportunity to have a taste. Instead, a doctor places the lamprey is on him, with one finally latching on.
Japanese Giant Hornet
Coyote travels to Japan to track down the Japanese Giant Hornet. The bug can grow up to two inches which is where it gets its giant name.
The bug’s stinger has a venom that makes it extremely painful. More than 30 people die yearly in Japan due to multiple stings and anaphylactic shock. However, one sting does not usually prove deadly.
The Brave Wilderness team nearly gives up after struggling to find the insect until their last day on the trip, and Coyote manages to bag one. His uncontrollable excitement also makes you forget he’s about to be stung by this beast of a bug.
The sting looks extremely painful, and his arm swells up a ton with this one.
Giant Water Bug
Officially known as the giant water bug but appropriately nicknamed the toe biter, this is one bug you don’t want to run into.
The video starts with Coyote expressing his anxiety about the creature after the bug bit him in the past. Even suggesting the bug is worse than an alligator. You can rarely see Coyote’s nervousness while capturing the creature, but in this case, he is.
After catching the water bug, Coyote waits until the next day and lets the bug do what it’s known for, bite his toe. It turns out it’s as painful as he imagined.
Yellow Jacket
This next bug is more familiar to many viewers. The yellow jacket is found throughout North America and in many other places worldwide. Unlike some of the other Brave Wilderness bites and stings, Coyote captures around 200 yellow jackets for this video.
Yellow jackets live in the ground in a nest, and even while capturing dozens of yellow jackets, Coyote and his team end up stung multiple times.
However, it’s nothing compared to the stinging Coyote gets when he puts his arm into the box. You can almost feel the pain as Coyote and his team struggle to reseal the box for him to remove his arm safely.
Mosquitoes
This video is sure to make you itch. Coyote lets hundreds of mosquitoes feast on him.
Most people have experienced a mosquito bite in their life. Surprisingly, mosquitoes are among the deadliest animals because they can carry and transmit diseases to their victims.
The real benefit of this episode is Coyote’s steps afterward to alleviate the itchiness from the bugs. Easy steps you can follow to bring your own relief to these annoying bites.
