10 of earth’s smallest but deadliest animals (With Pictures)

5. TseTse Fly

via:msutoday.msu.edu

With their bulbous, prickly eyes, houseflies are some of the ugliest flies ever. But even they pale in comparison to the threat that is the tsetse fly. Armed with a long proboscis that it uses like a syringe, it spreads the disease across species through biological transmission and mechanical transmission.

This 10mm long insect has been around since prehistoric times and is the primary vector for sleeping sickness. The parasites it transmits cause confusion, severe lethargy, fever and anemia in humans and animals. Left untreated, this disease often proves fatal.

Because it infects humans and animals alike, it has a noticeable economic effect across the African Continent. It is estimated to be the cause of around 250-300 thousand victims per year.