‖ bête rouge
(bɛːt ruːʒ, beɪt ruːʒ)
[Fr., lit. ‘red beast’.]
A species of Trombidium (see quots.).
| 1909 Cent. Dict. Suppl., Bête-rouge,..probably a larval Trombidium, which in the West Indies corresponds to the so-called ‘red bug’ or ‘jigger’ of the southern United States. 1932 Dorland Med. Dict. (ed. 16) 191/1 Bête rouge, the red mite of Martinique and Honduras which burrows into the skin. It is probably a species of Trombidium. 1934 E. Waugh Handful of Dust v. 267 He had picked up bêtes rouges in the bush and they were crawling and burrowing under his skin. |