The edible flesh emits a distinctive odour, strong and penetrating even when the husk is intact. Regarded by some as fragrant, others as overpowering and offensive, the smell evokes reactions from deep appreciation to intense disgust. Other people say that “it smells like hell but it tastes like heaven” but for me and my family “it smells and tastes like heaven.”

I am very thankful that hurricane Gustav passed without so much damage here. There are limbs and leaves around that the ground looks so green, aside from the grasses, but other than that, everything is fine. We lost electricity, water and phone service for four days, but even alone in the house, I was fine. I had prepared good for it and we didn’t have problems. I just pray we will be spared from another yet natural drama.

Wear tight, protective clothing and long pants, socks and shoes. Of course insect repellent helps much to keep those bugs away. I spray one repellent before I wear my clothes, and another, stronger repellent I spray on the outside, the shoes and the socks as they tend to climb up from there to the parts of our body that is warm enough for them to inject their powerful enzymes to our skin which they eat after it liquefies. These larvae prefers the shady forests and grassland where there are dried leaves too, so you can avoid them by keeping your way on track out of the woods. After being exposed it really helps to wash up your body or take a good bath rubbing the skin off with a rug so any mites in contact get off.