TUCSON, Ariz. — A University of Arizona entomologist, known as the "King of Sting" for his renowned research on bees and wasps, has passed away.
Justin O. Schmidt authored several books and articles on the power of insects. He was known for letting himself get stung by bugs and developing a pain index that rated the potency of insect venom.
To conduct the research, Schmidt reportedly let himself be stung over 1,000 times by at least 80 different types of insects.
Schmidt died Saturday evening after suffering from Parkinson's disease, according to Arizona Public Media. He was 75.
12News interviewed Schmidt in 2020 about Asian giant hornets and their appetite for eating honeybees.
"Honeybees don’t taste very good. But their young, their larva, are yummy. So, what they will do is they will overwhelm, just smashing, literally,” Schmidt said during the interview.
Despite his proclivity for insect stings, Schmidt had insisted he was no masochist and only occasionally let himself get stung on purpose.
"When it does happen, I initially react as anyone else would – cursing, more than I should admit. Then I get out my notebook and stopwatch, sit down and make notes," Schmidt wrote in a 2018 column published by The Guardian.
Several people in the entomology world were quick to express their condolences after Schmidt's passing was announced.
Up to Speed
Catch up on the latest news and stories on our 12News YouTube playlist here.
More ways to get 12News
On your phone: Download the 12News app for the latest local breaking news straight to your phone.
On your streaming device: Download 12News+ to your streaming device
The free 12News+ app from 12News lets users stream live events — including daily newscasts like "Today in AZ" and "12 News" and our daily lifestyle program, "Arizona Midday"—on Roku and Amazon Fire TV.
12News+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona.