Buyo the Ninja Bug

I’m quickly learning that Japan has all kinds of creatures that can cause harm and discomfort. My newest revelation is called “Buyo”. I was bitten a few times last year and once this year…so far. Buyo is tiny so it’s impossible to detect when it lands on your skin. Buyo has a numbing agent in its saliva which means it can bite and you can’t feel it. The saliva also has an anticoagulant which allows the insect to suck on your blood at its leisure. I call this lovely little monster “Ninja Bug” because you don’t know that it attacked you until it’s all over. The little critter leaves a nasty bite mark that turns red. The bite area becomes painfully swollen over the next few hours. My lower calf area enlarged by a third. As if that isn’t bad enough…an itch develops. Not just any itch, but an itch that can drive you crazy. I have been averaging about ten days of discomfort before the symptoms subside. I use insect repellants that contain DEET, but this doesn’t stop them. The best defense is to wear long pants and long sleeved shirts, and to stay indoors when they are most likely to be “hunting”. Here’s a link with some graphic pictures of the Ninja Bug.     George