I have often wondered what exactly God had in mind for potó? Some rove beetles are good for controlling crop pests.
They eat the larvae and maggots of mites, biting flies, and fleas. The problem, though, is that a caustic toxin emitted
by these guys causes chemical dermatitis on human flesh – not a simple skin eruption, but actual burns! First and
second degree burns!
In Brazil, they look for warmth and are especially attracted to incandescent and fluorescent lighting during and after
the rainy season (the winter of the southern hemisphere). Perhaps potó come out of hiding because their homes are
too cold and wet. This is the time of year when many people deal with burns that are often discovered on their
eyelids and in the folds of neck, arms and legs twenty-four hours after contact with the paederus irritans beetles.
They eat the larvae and maggots of mites, biting flies, and fleas. The problem, though, is that a caustic toxin emitted
by these guys causes chemical dermatitis on human flesh – not a simple skin eruption, but actual burns! First and
second degree burns!
In Brazil, they look for warmth and are especially attracted to incandescent and fluorescent lighting during and after
the rainy season (the winter of the southern hemisphere). Perhaps potó come out of hiding because their homes are
too cold and wet. This is the time of year when many people deal with burns that are often discovered on their
eyelids and in the folds of neck, arms and legs twenty-four hours after contact with the paederus irritans beetles.
To Contact Us:
Surface Mail:
Tim and Vicki Reiner ٠ C.P. 111 ٠ 56.302-970 ٠ Petrolina, PE ٠ BRAZIL
Email: timandvicki@inafarplace.com Website: http://www.inafarplace.com
Surface Mail:
Tim and Vicki Reiner ٠ C.P. 111 ٠ 56.302-970 ٠ Petrolina, PE ٠ BRAZIL
Email: timandvicki@inafarplace.com Website: http://www.inafarplace.com
| Tim & Vicki Reiner In A Far Place |
| Creature Feature |
A Not So Evident Danger
| Baptist Mid-Missions do Brasil |
Ever wonder about dangers on the foreign mission field? Some
dangers we face appear to be small and insignificant until you realize
the trouble they can cause!
One such tiny annoyance is paederus irritans, related to North
American rove beetles. This tiny beetle, less than 3/8” (10 mm) long,
with red and black bands, belongs to the insect order Coleoptera (all
beetles) and the Staphylinidae family of rove beetles. More than 600
species of paederus beetles live on all the continents except
Antarctica, so you do not need to be in Brazil to have contact with
them!
In Brazil, it is known by many names - the feared potó, bicho-de-fogo
(fire bug), caga-fogo (fire droppings), caga-pimenta (pepper
droppings), papa-pimenta (pepper mush), pimenta (pepper), fogo-
selvagem (jungle fire), trepa-moleque (climbing rascal), and tucura.
Most of the time, this little insect lives in out-of-the-way places, like in
rotting logs or under stones surrounded by moist, decaying organic
like a tiny scorpion. Adults fly well, too.
For more information about potó, visit the following sites -
http://www.afpmb.org/pubs/Field_Guide/field_guide.htm#blister_beetles
http://www.aocd.org/jaocd/jaocd_2007_sep.pdf
http://tinyurl.com/mh65dr
http://www.insecta.hpg.ig.com.br/glossario.html
http://www.oisat.org/control_methods/natural_enemies/predators/rove_
beetles.html
http://www.afpmb.org/pubs/Field_Guide/field_guide.htm#blister_beetles
http://www.aocd.org/jaocd/jaocd_2007_sep.pdf
http://tinyurl.com/mh65dr
http://www.insecta.hpg.ig.com.br/glossario.html
http://www.oisat.org/control_methods/natural_enemies/predators/rove_
beetles.html
| Source: http://tinyurl.com/nvh3zu |
Skin eruptions depend on the concentration of the
toxin, how long it is on the skin, and the sensitivity of
the person’s skin. A reddish warm streak, where the
insect walked on the skin or was crushed when
brushing it off, would be the simplest case scenario.
Next, would be a rash that, after a few days,
becomes a row or patch of tiny blisters that may
increase in size. As the blisters begin to dry out,
they become itchy and, “Oops, I guess you
scratched them and have spread them to other
places on your body!” The worst case scenario
would be extensive blistering with fever, intense
burning or pain, joint pain, and vomiting.
If you happen to actually see potó, pick it off your
skin with a tissue or simply blow it off of you, then
immediately wash the area with soap and water. If
you happen upon the telltale red burn marks on
your skin, wash the area with soap and water and
carefully blot it dry. Any blisters should dry up in
about eight days, leaving marks that may last
several weeks. Sometimes a scar remains.
The only places the secretion does not seem to
burn are the palms of the hands and the soles of
the feet. For milder cases, only a burn cream is
needed. With more serious cases, when a
secondary infection occurs, a stronger oral
medication may be needed.
toxin, how long it is on the skin, and the sensitivity of
the person’s skin. A reddish warm streak, where the
insect walked on the skin or was crushed when
brushing it off, would be the simplest case scenario.
Next, would be a rash that, after a few days,
becomes a row or patch of tiny blisters that may
increase in size. As the blisters begin to dry out,
they become itchy and, “Oops, I guess you
scratched them and have spread them to other
places on your body!” The worst case scenario
would be extensive blistering with fever, intense
burning or pain, joint pain, and vomiting.
If you happen to actually see potó, pick it off your
skin with a tissue or simply blow it off of you, then
immediately wash the area with soap and water. If
you happen upon the telltale red burn marks on
your skin, wash the area with soap and water and
carefully blot it dry. Any blisters should dry up in
about eight days, leaving marks that may last
several weeks. Sometimes a scar remains.
The only places the secretion does not seem to
burn are the palms of the hands and the soles of
the feet. For milder cases, only a burn cream is
needed. With more serious cases, when a
secondary infection occurs, a stronger oral
medication may be needed.
I remember one year waking to the sound of Tim spraying on the downstairs’ porch. When I arrived, he had
successfully killed hundreds of potó and told me that the walls had been covered with them! That year a lot of
people, including our family, had serious cases resulting from unintentional contact with this tiny creature. In a
church services, I counted the potó crawling on people’s backs, too many to shoo away, fearing for my baby.
I found this information about that particular year –
“In Brazil, I have seen grown men confined for days in their hammocks, as a result of just a few such lesions. In
January 1985, a sudden plague of billions of these beetles occurred throughout the northeast of Brazil (an area
bigger than Western Europe) bringing many agricultural activities such as cane cutting to a virtual standstill.”
( http://www.enhg.org/alain/mike/may1993.htm )
I guess you should never underestimate what a tiny bug can do!
successfully killed hundreds of potó and told me that the walls had been covered with them! That year a lot of
people, including our family, had serious cases resulting from unintentional contact with this tiny creature. In a
church services, I counted the potó crawling on people’s backs, too many to shoo away, fearing for my baby.
I found this information about that particular year –
“In Brazil, I have seen grown men confined for days in their hammocks, as a result of just a few such lesions. In
January 1985, a sudden plague of billions of these beetles occurred throughout the northeast of Brazil (an area
bigger than Western Europe) bringing many agricultural activities such as cane cutting to a virtual standstill.”
( http://www.enhg.org/alain/mike/may1993.htm )
I guess you should never underestimate what a tiny bug can do!
