Justin O. Schmidt, an esteemed entomologist who gained worldwide recognition for his groundbreaking work on insect stings, has passed away at the age of 75.
Schmidt, who was also known as the “King of Sting,” dedicated his life to studying the stings of various insects and developing a pain index to categorize their effects on humans. His work involved purposely allowing himself to be stung by various insects to gauge their level of pain and intensity.
Schmidt’s research has been instrumental in understanding the effects of insect venom on humans and has been used to develop treatments for allergic reactions caused by insect stings.
Born in 1947 in New York City, Schmidt received his Ph.D. in entomology from the University of Georgia in 1975. He then went on to work for the United States Department of Agriculture before becoming a research director at the Southwest Biological Institute.
In addition to his research, Schmidt was also an accomplished author, publishing numerous books including “The Sting of the Wild” and “The Venomous Reptiles of the Western Hemisphere.”
Schmidt’s contributions to the field of entomology have been recognized by his peers, and he received numerous awards for his work. In 2015, he was inducted into the Arizona State University School of Life Sciences Hall of Fame.
Schmidt’s passing has been felt deeply by the scientific community, with many paying tribute to his contributions to the field of entomology. His legacy will continue to live on through his research and the impact it has had on our understanding of insects and their stings.
