Nairobi fly
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The name Nairobi fly is applied to two species of beetle which live in East Africa, Paederus crebinpunctatus and Paederus sabaeus [1]. They are species of the rove beetle genus Paederus, and are black and red in colour, and about 6–10 mm long [2]. They live in rotting leaves where they lay their eggs.
The beetles neither sting nor bite, but their haemolymph contains pederin, a potent toxin which causes blistering. The toxin is released when the beetle is crushed against the skin. People are advised to brush or blow the insect off their skin to prevent irritation [1].
Heavy rains, sometimes brought on by El Niño events, provide the conditions for the Nairobi fly to thrive.Outbreaks have occurred in 1998 [1] and 2007 [3].
[edit] References
- ^ a b c "'Nairobi fly' doesn't sting or bite, but it sure does hurt", CNN, 1998-01-26.
- ^ Stefano Veraldi & Luciano Süss (1994). Dermatitis caused by Paederus fuscipes Curt.. International Journal of Dermatology 33 (4): 277–278. doi:.
- ^ Arthur Okwemba. "Beware, the Nairobi fly is back in town", bushdrums.com, 2007-05-27.
