Most hated animals top 50

The Wasp Nest from Ben Galbraith on Vimeo.

In an election, organized by Dutch radio and TV program Vroege Vogels, 48,402 people voted for which animal they hated most.

This is the Top 50 list, which was published today:

1 Tick 9457 votes

2 Mosquito 5858 votes

3 Horse-fly 2491

4 Wasp 2277

5 Dog 1822

6 Silverfish 1764

7 Cat 1744

8 Oak processionary caterpillar 1609

9 Flea 1534

10 Head louse 1473

11 Bed bug 1391

12 Great cormorant 1034

13 Domestic pigeon 1032

14 House dust mite 1003

15 Cockroach 959

16 Brown rat 904

17 Housefly 900

18 Slug 897

19 Biting midge 826

20 Spider 806

21 Fruit fly 590

22 Aphid 513

23 Jackdaw 453

24 Asian tiger mosquito* 437

25 Varroa destructor mite* 432

26 Mouse 426

27 Moth 399

28 Red swamp crawfish 396

29 Common furniture beetle 351

30 Jellyfish 341

31 Magpie* 329

32 Grubworm 319

33 Carrion crow 277

34 Ring-necked parakeet 270

35 Grey heron 253

36 Ant 227

37 Mole 225

38 Herring gull 215

39 Earwig [see also here] 191

40 Muskrat 181

41 Beech marten 164

42 Egyptian goose 160

43 Hornet* 158

44 Red fox 146

45 Woodlouse 134

46 Centipede 120

47 Horse* 111

48 Toad 98

49 Coot 85

50 Grey lag goose 82

Some animal species had been nominated, but got too few votes to be in the Top 50. They included the buzzard and the wild boar.

Animals with an asterisk* on the list had not been nominated by Vroege Vogels, but were suggested by people reacting.

Just one amphibian. Reptiles, fish, and most invertebrate phyla are not represented on this “most hated” list. Nine mammals, eleven birds. The rest are mainly arthropods.

Malaria mosquitoes accurately find their way to smelly feet: here.

Mosquitoes lured by synthetic human odour: here.

Out of Africa — how the fruit fly made its way in the world: here.

Fecundity, fertility and reproductive recovery of irradiated Queensland fruit fly Bactrocera tryoni: here.

Blobfish wins ‘ugliest animal’ vote: here.

What insect has the worst bite? This and more weird animal questions answered here.