Meet "The Shocker," a paper wasp whose sting can cause anaphylactic shock. Or shake pincers with "The Stinger," a scorpion that crushes its prey and injects them with a neurotoxic venom. These creepy creatures are just two of the 10 contenders in this year’s Ugly Bug Contest.

You can help choose this year's champion for its atrocious traits and unique attributes. The ability to inject enemies with poison, suck the blood of innocent bystanders, or crawl under the skin of unsuspecting hikers are some of the features that could earn one bug the crown and title: 2009 Ugliest Bug.

Until Dec. 15, insect enthusiasts around the world have the opportunity to vote and learn more about some of the planet's creepiest creatures.

To cast a vote or learn about the lives of these tiny terrors, visit the contest's Web site at: http://askabiologist.asu.edu/uglybugs.

Other creatures on this year's roster of the repugnant are "The Blade," an aphid; "Stretch," a snakefly; "The Ringleader," Jerdon's jumping ant; "Sweetness," a honeybee; "The Leaf Foot," a coreidae; and "The Gollywopper," a crane fly.

Each has a photo and a bio on the Web site, with details including their size, weight and Latin genus names. Most of the bugs in this year's contest weigh less than 3 grams—about the same as 10 grains of table salt.

The images of the bugs were made using a scanning electron microscope. The colorful close-ups allow students and teachers to get an intimate view of creatures often dismissed as detestable.

The Ugly Bug Contest was started by Merilee Sellers of Northern Arizona University. For 10 years, it was a local fixture—part of the Flagstaff Festival of Science and the Mount Campus Science Day.

Last year, she teamed up with Charles Kazilek to bring the contest to the Web. Kazilek is a research professional in ASU’s School of Life Sciences. He is also known as “Dr. Biology” on his popular “Ask a Biologist” podcast.

In its first year on the Ask a Biologist site the contest collected more than 3,000 votes.

"We are talking about bugs here," Kazilek says. "You are either excited by them or scared to have one next to you. They certainly can get under your skin. It is fun to see these really tiny animals in a way that just is not possible with the unaided eye." Last year, the winner was “The Tick” with 1,056 votes—more than twice the amount any other bug received.

"I think it was the blood sucking ability that gave it the edge," Kazilek says.

“The best part is people get to participate by looking and reading about each of the bugs before they vote,” he says. “It is also a fun way to get up close and personal with the bug that might be walking, crawling or flying next to you.”

Pointing out that many of the bugs contending for the crown are far from ugly, Kazilek adds: “In fact, they are very elegant and often quite beautiful. Somehow calling it the Beautiful Bug Contest seemed contrary to most people’s idea of bugs.”