What is the Schmidt Pain Index?

The Schmidt Pain Index is a measure designed to measure the pain of wasps, bees and ants. It was developed by the insect Justin Schmidt, who deliberately baptized dozens of insect bites in order to make the catalog as accurate as possible.

In his research, Schmidt created four different levels of pain:

Pain Level 1. At this level, most of the pain disappears in about five minutes. Most bees belong to this category. Schmidt described the ability of the anthrax bee to be "almost enjoyable, [like] a very small fan."

Pain Level 2 - Eliminate pain within 5-10 minutes. Asian bees and wasps belong to this category.
The same is true of ants that attack termites. In Schmidt, it is compared to "the pain relief of hemorrhagic headache at the tip of the finger."

Pain level 3 - Most wasp stings are level 3. Acute pain lasts from 1 minute to half an hour and is especially effective.
The Maricopa ant harvester is in this category. Here's how Schmidt explains the pain caused by insects: "After 8 hours of continuous drilling of the nail, find the drill bit installed on the sole of the foot"

Pain Level 4. Most of the bites at this level last no more than five minutes, but the pain is severe. Schmidt classifies the ants as "four plus" and explains, "It's like walking on a burning coal with three inches of nails on the heel."
Schmidt's pain index is usually mentioned in the mainstream media (most notably the movie "Anterman Superhero"). It also has some practical implications - for example, a health care provider can use it to determine if a person has a severe allergic reaction to tingling.

However, this is usually a personal measure, so although Schmidt's commitment to scientific progress is commendable, his rich description of insect bites should use a salt.