Acid bugs

I came across one of these little guys today while I was doing dishes, it was meandering over to me on the counter top next to the sink.

An acid bug. Or, the Paederus Rove Beetle (little tiny beetles), that comes out of hiding near the end of rainy season and when squished against the skin they secrete a toxic chemical very much like acid that can severely burn your skin and leave painful blisters. We were cautioned about these when we first moved here. We were also cautioned to never slap or crush this bug off of our skin if one gets on us, but to very gently brush it off.

In my quick thinking I promptly squished it with a spoon. And then took a picture. And then went back to doing the dishes.

Oh the joys of living in West Africa, so many interesting critters we get to live with!

(side note-I got bit by a teeny tiny little ant a few weekends ago on the top of my foot and it felt like someone stabbed me with. a. knife! A knife! Oh my gosh it hurt so bad! My foot was sore for hours afterwards.Who'd a thought a little tiny ant could pack so much punch in its bite? And here's this acid bug which is about the size of the large wood ants. I'm tellin' ya, it's always the small bugs that inflict the most pain! Must stay away from small critters!)