Lets hope it doesn't leave a scar

For most of us staying in Africa, insects (or goggas as we refer to them in Afrikaans) are just part of life. We generally don't get upset or interrupted by them. Of cause flies, ants and mosquitoes are a nuisance and we all wish they didn't exist, but they do.. and that's life.

I'm carefully remembering to take my anti-malarials every week and mostly remember to but on bug repellent when I'm outside at night, but this Wednesday a nasty gogga got me -without me even realising it. The little red beetles has been around the past few days and I must have squashed one in my neck without thinking about it. By Thursday morning I had a faint red spot on my neck, by the evening it had gotten bigger and started to burn and by Friday it was a proper red with fine blisters in the centre.

Google is great ...

The beetle's called Paederus Sabaeus (also called Nairobi fly or Champion fly)

not a blister beetle

the toxin of these guys is pederin

causes blistering, ezcema type lesions and pustules

often has Gram negative bacterial infection

takes 2-3 weeks to heal

often leaves scar (for moths or years).

And.. burns and itches and just generally does feel or look nice!

So that's it, lets hope for the best!