I don’t write from a place of comfort. I write from a place of responsibility.

Years ago, I was a pilot involved in an accident that took 18 lives. I won’t describe it. I won’t dramatize it. I live with it. Since then, I’ve learned two things that guide how I prepare for survival today: small oversights have massive consequences, and danger is often ignored until it’s too late.

That lesson is why I prepare obsessively, why I respect risk, and why—outside of work and driving—I avoid electricity entirely. Control what you can. Respect what you can’t.

Which brings me to insects.

In Maryland, people worry about storms, crime, and winter outages. They do not worry nearly enough about insects. That’s a problem. Because some of the most dangerous threats in this state don’t announce themselves with teeth or claws. They arrive on six legs, quietly, often unnoticed, and sometimes with permanent consequences.

Below are the insects in Maryland that deserve far more attention than they get.

1. Blacklegged Ticks (Deer Ticks): The Silent Saboteurs

If I had to name one insect that causes more long-term damage in Maryland than any other, it would be the blacklegged tick.

Ticks don’t feel dangerous. They don’t sting. They don’t buzz. They don’t scare children. That’s why they’re ignored.

That’s also why they’re effective.

Blacklegged ticks are known carriers of Lyme disease and other serious illnesses. What makes them especially dangerous is their size—particularly in their nymph stage, when they’re no larger than a poppy seed. People don’t notice them until days later, if at all.

From a prepper’s standpoint, ticks are dangerous because:

• Exposure is common in suburban yards, not just forests
• Symptoms can be delayed and hard to trace
• Long-term health impacts can be life-altering

I’ve seen capable, physically strong adults sidelined for months or years because of a single unnoticed bite. That’s not an exaggeration. That’s poor risk assessment at the community level.

2. Mosquitoes: Disease Delivery Systems with Wings

Marylanders joke about mosquitoes. I don’t.

Mosquitoes are not just irritating; they are biological delivery systems for disease. In this region, they are known carriers of viruses that can affect the nervous system and cause lasting damage.

The danger isn’t every mosquito. The danger is complacency.

Mosquitoes thrive in:

• Standing water in suburban environments
• Warm, humid summers (which Maryland has in abundance)
• Areas where people assume “it’s just a bite”

As someone who plans for cascading failures, I look at mosquitoes as a multiplier threat. In a grid-down or emergency situation, limited medical access turns “minor” illnesses into serious problems quickly.

3. Yellowjackets: Aggression You Can’t Reason With

Most people lump all stinging insects together. That’s a mistake.

Yellowjackets are not passive defenders. They are aggressive, territorial, and capable of stinging multiple times. In Maryland, they often nest underground or inside structures, which means people stumble into them without warning.

Why they matter:

• They attack in groups
• They defend territory aggressively
• They cause severe reactions in sensitive individuals

Even without allergies, multiple stings can be dangerous. In emergency planning, I treat yellowjackets as an environmental hazard, similar to unstable terrain. You don’t negotiate with them. You avoid them—or you suffer the consequences.

4. Northern Black Widow Spiders: Rare, But Not Harmless

Spiders don’t get enough accurate discussion. People either panic or dismiss them entirely.

The northern black widow is present in Maryland, and while bites are uncommon, they are not insignificant. These spiders prefer dark, undisturbed areas—woodpiles, sheds, crawlspaces. Places preppers often use.

The danger here is not frequency. It’s misidentification and delayed response.

Most bites happen when someone reaches into an area without visibility. In survival terms, that’s a preventable failure. Situational awareness applies even at arm’s length.

5. Assassin Bugs (Including Kissing Bugs): Rare but Worth Knowing

Assassin bugs are not widespread, and that’s why no one talks about them. But in preparedness, rarity does not equal irrelevance.

Some species can deliver painful bites, and certain relatives—often called “kissing bugs”—are known elsewhere for disease transmission. While Maryland isn’t a hotspot, sightings have increased in parts of the Mid-Atlantic.

From my perspective, this falls into the category of emerging risk. The kind that catches people off guard because “it’s not supposed to be here.”

That phrase has caused more damage than most storms ever have.

6. Deer Flies and Horse Flies: Pain Is the Least of the Problem

These flies don’t sting. They cut.

Deer flies and horse flies are common in rural and semi-rural Maryland, especially near water. Their bites are painful, yes—but more importantly, they create open wounds.

In survival planning, any insect that breaks skin is a potential infection vector. In warm, humid conditions, untreated wounds escalate fast.

These insects are also persistent. Swatting doesn’t deter them. Planning does.

Why No One Talks About This—and Why That’s Dangerous

In my experience, people avoid discussing slow, inconvenient threats. Insects don’t make headlines. They don’t feel dramatic.

But neither did the chain of small oversights that led to the worst day of my life.

Preparedness isn’t about fear. It’s about honesty. Maryland is not an extreme environment—but it is a complacent one. And complacency is what insects exploit best.

You don’t need to panic. You need to pay attention.

Check your yard. Know what lives in your shed. Teach your family that “small” doesn’t mean “safe.” Survival isn’t always about fighting. Sometimes it’s about noticing what everyone else ignores.

I learned that lesson the hardest way possible.

You don’t have to.