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Maine Mom Survives Sudden Allergic Collapse After Picking Up Six-Spotted Tiger Beetle

The scare highlights the life-or-death value of fast first aid with epinephrine in severe allergic reactions.

Overview

  • Antoinette Webb picked up an iridescent green six-spotted tiger beetle at Fort Knox in Prospect, Maine, a non-venomous species, and within seconds felt burning through her body.
  • She broke out in hives, struggled to breathe, and collapsed at the gift shop as her lips turned blue.
  • Friends of Fort Knox director Dean Martin, a former Army medic, gave her Benadryl and stayed with her while coordinating with 9-1-1.
  • Paramedics took her to a hospital, where doctors gave four epinephrine shots that stabilized her, the standard treatment for severe allergic reactions.
  • Webb returned with her 9-year-old twins the next day to thank the staff, in what coverage describes as an extraordinarily rare reaction.