One of the exciting things about living on the edge of forests, is the wealth of insects that we share the space with. A variety of ants (in large numbers) are a constant presence and the occasional ant-colony raid can be a massive event, bringing the lizards out in a feeding frenzy. The other day, a mud dauber tried to make a nest on our window shelf outside the mesh door. It was not to be. We ourselves disturbed it a bit halfheartedly in trying to regain territory, and then a treepie decided to peck at the nest and help itself to the larvae. The mother wasp tried to fix the problem but it was an uphill task. She then attempted another effort in the corner behind the balcony door. But that very night alas, it rained in torrents and the mud was swept away.
In another curious affair, Shweta would end up with mysterious bites and scars – painful red blotches or trails that would, over a few days, well up in virulent suppurations. These took more than a week to subside but the scars take months to fade. At first she suspected the spiders. She then examined the problem, applying her Holmesian skills of detection and deduction and having eliminated the spiders, zoomed in on one particular specimen – a black and red bug about a centimetre in length whom she has named (with charming simplicity) ‘Baddie’.
She thought my response to her various injuries a bit lukewarm, and so was very much delighted when I woke up one day to a similar abrasion on my face. Since the wounds are often mirror-image lesions, we concluded that we weren’t being bitten or stung, but in fact, squashing or squeezing these Baddies in our sleep, except of course, when one had clearly walked over us, leaving a trail of burning, corroded skin.
The mystery is now solved – and our attacker is no mean personage. It enjoys many names and has a Wikipedia entry and several scientific papers dedicated to it. Say hello to the Rove Beetles of the genus Paederus aka Nairobi Fly, Acid Fly or Kenya Fly. There have been huge outbreaks of this creature and one paper suggests that at least two of the ten plagues of Egypt mentioned in the Bible were in fact massive breeding of Paederus.
Anyway, these creatures secrete a toxin called pederin, more potent than Latrodectus spider or black widow venom. So... err.. basically YIKES!!!!!!
You don’t discover the contact immediately but as soon the redness appears, washing the area with cold water and soap is a good thing to do. From my own experience, I have found that rubbing a pinch of common salt over the moistened abrasion is helpful. Then I tend to the wound with a thin layer of turmeric mixed with a drop of coconut oil, or aloe vera gel, crushed tulsi juice, sandalwood paste or rose powder paste.
For now, I have a new gash over my shoulder from last night. Here we go again.
In another curious affair, Shweta would end up with mysterious bites and scars – painful red blotches or trails that would, over a few days, well up in virulent suppurations. These took more than a week to subside but the scars take months to fade. At first she suspected the spiders. She then examined the problem, applying her Holmesian skills of detection and deduction and having eliminated the spiders, zoomed in on one particular specimen – a black and red bug about a centimetre in length whom she has named (with charming simplicity) ‘Baddie’.
She thought my response to her various injuries a bit lukewarm, and so was very much delighted when I woke up one day to a similar abrasion on my face. Since the wounds are often mirror-image lesions, we concluded that we weren’t being bitten or stung, but in fact, squashing or squeezing these Baddies in our sleep, except of course, when one had clearly walked over us, leaving a trail of burning, corroded skin.
The mystery is now solved – and our attacker is no mean personage. It enjoys many names and has a Wikipedia entry and several scientific papers dedicated to it. Say hello to the Rove Beetles of the genus Paederus aka Nairobi Fly, Acid Fly or Kenya Fly. There have been huge outbreaks of this creature and one paper suggests that at least two of the ten plagues of Egypt mentioned in the Bible were in fact massive breeding of Paederus.
Anyway, these creatures secrete a toxin called pederin, more potent than Latrodectus spider or black widow venom. So... err.. basically YIKES!!!!!!
You don’t discover the contact immediately but as soon the redness appears, washing the area with cold water and soap is a good thing to do. From my own experience, I have found that rubbing a pinch of common salt over the moistened abrasion is helpful. Then I tend to the wound with a thin layer of turmeric mixed with a drop of coconut oil, or aloe vera gel, crushed tulsi juice, sandalwood paste or rose powder paste.
For now, I have a new gash over my shoulder from last night. Here we go again.
