Bug Bite with a pod-like thing left under my skin (infect, hair)

[gobrien]

This is really gross but I got a bug bite on my shoulder over a month ago that didn't heal and yesterday I found that a very small pod had been injected under my skin. I have googled the subject and have found out nothing. I live in the interior of Alaska so we don't have a lot of bugs here. I saved the pod but I don't have insurance to go to the doctor and check to see what it is. Thanks!

[little elmer]

Pic?

[jimboburnsy]

Originally Posted by gobrien

This is really gross but I got a bug bite on my shoulder over a month ago that didn't heal and yesterday I found that a very small pod had been injected under my skin. I have googled the subject and have found out nothing. I live in the interior of Alaska so we don't have a lot of bugs here. I saved the pod but I don't have insurance to go to the doctor and check to see what it is. Thanks!

Bot fly? I think that Alaskan Caribou suffer from Bot Fly larval infestation so it's possible that you are as well. You aren't likely to die, but you could have bad scarring and could have a bad skin infection. You may want to re-think avoiding the doc... Go to the ER if you start a fever.

Human Bot Fly Removal on Vimeo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23eimVLAQ2c

[stepka]

Yikes I've never heard of that. I thought we had the bad bugs. You could try putting tea tree oil on it--that will kill anything.

[Alley01]

I bet the doctor would not charge you much to look at that. Are there any urgent cares? Clinics that you can find? I wouldn't wait to see a doctor if I were you. That isn't your run of the mill bug bite!

[gobrien]

After looking at the videos, I am pretty sure it is not a bot fly (at least not a South American one)-whew. I have no fever. I probably should go, I saved the pod-thing, it is tiny about the size of perhaps two sesame seeds put together.

[Miborn]

Bots deposit the eggs on the hair of the animals and the animals ingest them by licking or biting etc. They do not inject under the skin.

[gobrien]

Originally Posted by stepka

Yikes I've never heard of that. I thought we had the bad bugs. You could try putting tea tree oil on it--that will kill anything.

Ordinarily Alaska is a bug free paradise if you overlook the mosquitos and a few spiders, ants and flies.....

[bustaduke]

Originally Posted by Miborn

Bots deposit the eggs on the hair of the animals and the animals ingest them by licking or biting etc. They do not inject under the skin.

I had one removed a few years back. The bot fly deposits its eggs on the underside of a mosquitoes belly while in flight.

When the mosquito lands on you, the heat from your body causes the glue to release the eggs. The eggs hatch and the bot fly larva burrow into your skin where they eat your flesh until the hatch and go into the ground. There the bot fly is born and the cycle begins again.


busta

[Flamingo13]

I don't know what to say other than that is creepy. Some kind of pod thing deposited just blows my mind. Hope all ends up well.