Queenslander Natalie Carroll was excited to celebrate her birthday when she landed on holiday in Bali, Indonesia last week.
Instead, her journey was derailed by a fingernail-sized bug that left her leg covered in “excruciating” blisters and sores.
WARNING: This article contains images that some readers may find graphic.
The 24-year-old was sleeping in her outdoor villa when what she believed to be a harmless bug landed on her leg. Without thinking, she dismissed him.
The very next morning she saw a red mark on her thigh.
“I started googling a bit and came across Tomcat [beetle] at the time,” she told 9news.com.au but didn’t realize it was the culprit.
The mark on her leg worsened in the hours that followed, growing into angry sores that felt almost like burns.
“It was getting worse and more painful every day. The blisters came up pretty quickly,” she said.
“I only noticed the red sores on Thursday and by Friday night I had multiple massive blisters on my leg.”
Worried, Carroll called a doctor to her mansion on Friday who told her he was “90 percent” sure the injury was caused by a burrowing insect, known locally as a Tomcat.
Only 7 to 10 mm long, these black and red insects are easily mistaken for ants and are highly venomous despite the fact that they do not bite or sting.
Instead, they release an incredibly powerful blistering toxin when brushed or crushed against the skin, causing severe burning, stinging, itching and blistering.
The doctor first gave Carroll anti-inflammatory and antibiotic creams to apply to the sting, followed by an oral antibiotic when symptoms worsened.
“I accidentally popped the blisters on Saturday and Sunday, which was excruciating. It’s since started to scab over, but it’s still extremely painful,” she said.
Rova bug bites can cause scarring and hyperpigmentation and while Carroll is “not too concerned” about any long-term cosmetic issues, the lengthy healing process has been frustrating.
The video has since collected nearly 800,000 views.
Burrowing beetles are usually found in moist habitats and often come into contact with humans at night when they migrate into homes through open doors and windows, attracted by artificial lights.
Carroll warns travelers in Indonesia to keep doors and windows closed, avoid brushing plants and seek immediate medical attention if they think they’ve been stung.
“If the doctor hadn’t come the next morning, I’m not sure how much worse it could have been.”