The toxic tomcat beetle bug that can leave you in crippling agony and wreck your dream Bali holiday – but chances are you’ve never even heard of it
A holidaymaker’s dream trip ended in agony when she was scarred by a tropical insect which left her wracked with pain and nursing ugly red welts on her legs.
Natalie Carroll, 24, was on holiday in Bali, Indonesia, when she noticed some red streaks starting to appear on her upper left thigh on Thursday, November 7.
The Australian TikToker initially thought she must have been stung by a jellyfish until ‘extremely painful’ blisters started erupting on her skin later that night.
The next day, as the agony increased, Ms Carroll rushed to see a doctor who told her he was ’90 per cent’ sure she had been by attacked by a tomcat beetle.
Tomcat beetles do not bite or sting their victims but instead release an aggressive toxin which causes severe burning, stinging, itching and blistering.
Despite only measuring between 7mm and 10mm in length, the beetle’s poisonous toxin is highly potent.
Ms Carroll was given oral antibiotics to prevent the wound from getting infected but the pain and scarring continued to worsen over the next several days.
She believes the beetle may crawled over her leg while she was sleeping and has warned others to be extra careful around strange insects in the future.
Natalie Carroll, 24, developed deep red welts and blisters on her upper left thigh which were caused by a tomcat beetle’s venom during her vacation in Bali
Ms Carroll noticed the inflamed streaks going down her thigh were quickly getting worse within hours of her realising that they were there.
‘When I woke up [on Friday] I had some little blisters and I was like, “I need to call a doctor”,’ she said on social media.
The welting had become ‘extremely painful’ by the time Ms Carroll was told by her doctor that she had likely come into contact with a tomcat beetle.
By Saturday, the blistering was so painful her thighs were too sensitive to even touch.
Ms Carroll said she became wary of infections when two of her largest blisters popped over the weekend.
‘I kept having to put this ointment on it to keep it concealed from the Balinese air because it’s dirty here,’ she said.
‘Honestly the worst part about this is just not being able to swim for my entire trip and Bali is so hot … and I can’t even shower properly. I can’t get it wet at all.’
Ms Carroll told 9News that she was just thankful that a doctor was able to diagnose her wound so quickly and that she was not ‘too fussed’ about potential scarring.
Tomcat beetles, which are also known as rove beetles, do not actually bite their victims, but instead release a highly potent toxin when brushed aside or crushed
Tomcat beetles, also known as rove beetles, are commonly black or brown with slender bodies and short front wings.
Typically they thrive outdoors but during heavy rains the beetles have been known to migrate to drier areas.
Their venom can cause a reaction similar to ‘chemical warfare’, according to the Australian Department of Health.
The beetle excretes a chemical called paederin when it is brushed away or crushed which can easily be absorbed by another creature’s skin.
The toxin quickly causes reddening of skin, painful burning sensations, and blisters which can be difficult to treat.
It is recommended to use warm soapy water to immediately cleanse the affected area before an antiseptic lotion or antihistamine cream can be thoroughly applied.
It can take up to up to 10 days to fully recover from the tomcat beetle’s venom.
