Did you know there are around 174 different varieties of Hawaiian insects? It goes without saying that there are some strange bugs in Hawaii – as a chain of islands, we’ve got some pretty unique wildlife in Hawaii. These Hawaiian insects lurk in forests, jungles, gardens, and even in your own home. Most of the Hawaii bugs (even the big big bugs in Hawaii) are harmless, but other can be nightmare-inducing, especially if you have entomophobia (the fear of insects). Do any of these bugs in Hawaii send shivers down your spine?

1. Centipedes
Daniela/Flickr
Centipedes in Hawaii are no joke. These arthropods can grow to be up to 12 inches long and over an inch in width. Be careful, because these little menaces can attack and they tend to travel in pairs. The scent a dying centipede gives off can actually attract more centipedes to the area, so relocation is best, especially if you are planning on killing them.
2. Cockroaches that are the size of your palm.
Auntie Teena/Flickr
There are 19 varieties of cockroaches in Hawaii. Luckily, only three are commonly found in your house or near humans. The American cockroaches here are nicknamed B52s because they will fly directly in your face and are quite massive.
3. Cane Spiders
Tom Burke/Flickr
Cane spiders are perhaps the most common spiders in Hawaii. While they are large, about 3-4 inches long, they're harmless. Fun fact: cane spiders do not make a web, so the egg case must be carried by the mother in her mouth for up to a month. During this time, she doesn't eat anything.
4. Black Widow
Steve/Flickr
Cane spiders aren't the only species found in paradise. We've also got banded garden spiders, shamrock spiders, Carolina wolf spiders, running crab spiders, and even black widows here. Hawaii has no shortage of spiders!
5. Great Golden Digger Wasp
Dan Mullen/Flickr
The great golden digger wasp looks alarming in color, but these wasps are generally considered non-aggressive. We'll still understand if you freak out upon seeing one, though.

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6. Assassin Bug
57Andrew/Flickr
The assassin bug uses its strong beak to repeatedly, and violently, stab its prey to death, since the name. They will also inflict painful bites on humans, so keep an eye out!
7. Golden Tortoise Beetle
Seabrooke Leckie/Flickr
Thanks to microscopic cavities in its cuticle that house pigmentation, this bug is not only gold, but can actually change its coloring. And while it appears to be rather creepy, it is harmless to humans, since it primarily feeds on garden vines.
8. Dobsonflies
Mike Bell/Flickr
The males look quite intimidating, but it's actually the females you need to watch out for. The males have longer tentacle-like appendages for their mouths and are considered harmless, as they cannot bite. However, the females can inflict a nasty bite if they are agitated.
9. Common Thread-Waisted Wasp
Matthew Beziat/Flickr
This wasp is an ambush attacker. They immobilize their prey with a single swift sting, then drag the prey to an underground lair using its powerful jaws. The prey is stored for later consumption by the wasp's larvae. This species of wasp is not known to be all that aggressive to humans, but even so, a defensive sting can be painful.
10) The Eastern Velvet Ant, aka, “Cow Killer”
Judy Gallagher, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
This Hawaiian insect is actually a wasp, not an ant. The intense coloring serves as a warning sign to both humans and other animals. It's rumored that a sting from a female can kill cattle. It will most definitely hurt a human! They are parasitic to bumblebees, and will lay eggs in a beehive. The ant's larvae then eat the bee larvae.

Am I the only one who feels as though I have bugs crawling on my skin now? And these are just a few of the most terrifying things in Hawaii! Yikes!

Let us know if you would add any wild bugs in Hawaii to this list.

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big bugs in hawaii

Bill Hall | August 10, 2022

Should I be nervous about bugs in Hawaii?

You need not worry too much about bugs while in Hawaii. Lots of people are nervous about seeing bugs, and that’s understandable. Bugs are often quite strange looking or even bite. You will see some bugs in Hawaii, but most are uninterested in you. And Hawaiian residents are tough.

As a tourist, you will probably not be in a situation where you come into contact with something dangerous like a black widow. (They tend to hide in dark corners and only bite some unlucky person cleaning its dark corner hiding spot.) So, if you do see a weird bug we suggest stopping and appreciating it. (From a respectful distance, of course.)

What are the most common bugs in Hawaii?

The most common bugs in Hawaii are ants. These are considered pests and homeowners do have to deal with them often. It seems over 40 species have been introduced to the islands. Reportedly, none are native to the island! 

Ants can carry 20 times their own body weight, which is a cool tidbit you can share when you see a line of them on the sidewalk. Bugs are just a fact of life in the Aloha State and part of the price we pay for living in paradise.

Are there any important bugs in Hawaii? 

The importance of bugs might seem only philosophical, but most bugs are certainly important to their ecosystems. 

Everyone can agree that ladybugs, also called ladybeetles or ladybirds, are important for farms and gardens. These eat harmful pests, like aphids.  

Parasitic wasps seem kind of scary, and they do sting, but they have been used to control pests in gardens and large-scale farms. We are happy to have them around.

Trichogramma wasps are also scary sounding but are used to keep pests in our gardens and farms under control.

Spiders, although pretty freaky to most of us, serve important functions in the environment. Most insects do. I doubt any person wishes to think of the possible benefits mosquitos bring, but they are a food source for some animals. (They are still one insect I’d rather never see…) 

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