The Schmidt pain index is a scale intended to gauge the pain from the stings of wasps, bees, and ants. It was developed by entomologist Justin Schmidt, who intentionally sustained dozens of insect stings in order to make the index as accurate as possible.In his research, Schmidt established four distinct pain levels:Pain Level 1 - At this level, most pain dissipates within about five minutes. Most small bees fall into this category. Schmidt describes the sting of an Anthrophorid bee as "almost pleasant, [as if] a lover just bit your earlobe a little too hard."Pain Level 2 - Pain dissipates within 5-10 minutes. The stings of Asiatic honey bees and yellowjacket wasps fall into this category. So does the sting of the termite-raiding ant. Per Schmidt, it compares to "the debilitating pain of a migraine contained in the tip of your finger."Pain Level 3 - Most wasp stings are level three. Sting pain can last anywhere from a minute to half an hour, and it's particularly potent. The Maricopa harvester ant falls into this category. Here's how Schmidt explains the pain from that insect: "After eight unrelenting hours of drilling into [an] ingrown toenail, you find the drill wedged into the toe."Pain Level 4 - Most stings at this level have a short duration of five minutes or less, but the pain is fierce. Schmidt ranks the bullet ant as level "four plus," and explains that it's "like walking over flaming charcoal with a three-inch nail embedded in your heel."The Schmidt pain index is often referenced in popular media (notably, it was mentioned in the 2015 superhero movie Ant-Man). It also has some practical implications-for instance, medical providers could use it to determine whether a person is having a severe allergic reaction to a sting.Still, it's a mostly subjective scale, so while Schmidt's commitment to scientific progress is commendable, his colorful descriptions of insect stings should be taken with a grain of salt.