The toxin in their venom works by altering the normal function of synapses (the communication points in the nervous system) and causes the synapses to act like it's on steroids, going into overdrive and sending lots of signals to the brain, which is what causes the severe pain.

This ant actually has its own parasite. Bullet ants are not normally aggressive but will sometimes fight with other bullet ant colonies, typically over food. Tiny flies are attracted by odors produced by the wounds on the ants, and once they find an injured ant, they will lay their eggs directly into the wounds. Gross!

There's a tribe of Indians found in the Amazon Jungle of Brazil who have a very bizarre, terrifying, and extremely painful initiation ceremony in which a young man becomes a man. He is first required to catch over 100 bullet ants and present them to a tribal leader who sedates them in a specific liquid. Special gloves are woven for the ceremony, and while the ants are sedated the leader inserts them through the glove so that the stingers are on the inside. There are therefore over 50 ants per glove. Then the young man has to insert his hands into the glove and wear them for 10 minutes while being stung repeatedly by each angry ant! He must endure this horrific pain while attempting to not show it on his face. As if this isn't enough, they must go through this ritual 20 times before they are finally accepted as a true man!!

But don't take my word for it. Click on the button below to watch a brief video of this ceremony!

I've decided not to be a man in this tribe!....

In Christ,

PS - We will be at the Redemption Hill Church, Albuquerque, NM, this coming Sunday, March 30, to present a series of seminars.