Subject: very large bug
Geographic location of the bug: Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico
Date: 09/10/2018
Time: 10:24 AM EDT
Your letter to the bugman: My wife found this 9-10 cm big bug in an arroyo 2 days ago and we wanted to know what it is because my brother-in-law claims that it is very poisonous. Thanks!
How you want your letter signed: Michael Patrick
Dear Michael,
This is a Giant Water Bug in the family Belostomatidae and there are similar looking individuals found all over the world. Commonly called Toe-Biters in North America because of the painful bite they are able to inflict on bathers and waders in freshwater bodies of water, Giant Water Bugs are not considered poisonous, however, they do inject saliva that can cause a reaction in some people. According to Research Gate: “These insects have toxic saliva capable of provoking intense pain and paralysis in vertebrates. Victims experienced intense, excruciating pain and 1 manifested hypoesthesia in the forearm. Bites by Belostomatidae are often reported by clinicians working in areas where these insects live, but there are no detailed case reports in the medical literature. ” According to Pest Wiki: “Water bugs are referred to as Toe biters because they do bite.Water bugs are harmless to humans.They don’t seek for people to go and bite them up.Water bugs bite is considered to be most harmful and painful.They bite on rare occasions when we get scared, or they get terrified. Usually, there are initial symptoms, but rarely they may cause life-threatening allergic reactions.”