Bullet Ants for Band-Aids

When you were ten years old, there was nothing cooler than sporting a big old Band-Aid over a new scrape. Especially if it had Spider-Man plastered on it. Well, you thought there was nothing cooler, but then again, you'd never been to Costa Rica.

Fast forward a couple of years to a family vacation: You, your little sister Suzie and your parents are walking along a trail through the rainforest on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, sporting the new wide-brimmed, floppy hats Wildland Adventures suggested you buy. You scoffed at the hats at first--they screamed dorky! But you're actually grateful for yours now, as you've just learned from Maricio, your naturalist guide, there's a good chance you might get splattered with monkey dung falling from the sky.

Maricio stops suddenly at the trunk of a tree where he's spotted a giant red bullet ant, named on account of its powerful and potent sting--the sensation of which has been likened to that of being shot with a bullet. It's an inch long, nearly the size of your pinky finger.

Maricio picks up the writhing insect between his thumb and forefinger and places it on his arm, demonstrating how, growing up in Costa Rica as a boy, his mother used the ants to suture wounds.

You, your sister and your mom and dad watch in amazement as the bullet ant suddenly clamps its mighty stingers deep into Maricio's forearm. Without batting an eyelash, he pinches the body of the ant from his skin, leaving the stingers submerged in his flesh.

"It's like a Band-Aid," he says, matter-of-factly. "When you place the bullet ant over a wound, its sting will hold the skin together until the wound heals."

Your eyes bulge, Suzie's nose wrinkles, and Maricio starts off again down the trail pointing out Howler and Cappuchin monkeys in the canopy of trees above.

Tugging at your sleeve to conceal the week-old Spider-Man Band-Aid clinging to your elbow, you spend the next half hour whispering with your dad about bullet ants, Band-Aids and of course, Maricio's undeniable bravery.

Given the option, you're pretty sure you'd stick with Spidey.