Bali holidays: TikToker, 24, covered in huge painful blisters after attacked by toxic Rove beetle - what is the creature?

The 24-year-old was left baffled after she spotted the mysterious marks all over her leg on November 7. The Bali tourist shared her ordeal on TikTok after she initially thought she had been stung by a jellyfish the day before.

She alerted a doctor after she spotted inflamed streaks going down her legs that began to be “extremely painful”. She added: “When I woke up, I had some little blisters and I was like, ‘I need to call a doctor.'"

The TikToker was handed antibiotics to stop the wound from getting infected. She said: “I think what’s happened is in my sleep I have brushed it off and now I have this. I kept having to put this ointment on it to keep it concealed from the Balinese air because it’s dirty here.

"Honestly the worst part about this is just not being able to swim for my entire trip and Bali is so hot … and I can’t even shower properly. I can’t get it wet at all. 24 hours of that red mark and then this is what I then had on my leg … these, I can’t even describe the pain.”

Natalie explained that her doctor believes she came into contact with a Rowe beetle, also known as a Tomcat. Although the insect doesn't bite, it can release an aggressive toxin which can leave patients with serious burning, itching and blistering, reports News AU.

She told Yahoo News: "I would say if you're staying in an indoor-outdoor villa or anywhere that's not enclosed accommodation, invest in insect repellent. Set insect coils and have them at each doorway. And if you do notice any little marks, go to a doctor as soon as possible, it gets much worse really quick."

According to The Dose online website Rove beetles “look innocuous with their black head, lower abdomen, and elytral (structure covering the wings) and a red thorax and upper abdomen”. It adds: “During the daytime, these beetles can be seen crawling around on the ground, with their wings hidden and could be easily mistaken for ants. Adult Rove Beetles are predators of other insects. At night they are frequently found around light sources, which means they often inadvertently come into contact with humans.”