Most people start noticing caterpillars crawling on and around trees and plants by the end of the summer season.These caterpillars can look simple with single-colored bodies to multi-colored bodies with patterns and spines all over! The majority of caterpillars are harmless, but some can prove to be quite dangerous.Caterpillars can be found moving around on plants and trees, typically finding a place where they can pupate. Many non-poisonous caterpillars are not harmful to humans even though they might look dangerous. Then there are some caterpillars of the annoying kind that look dangerous and are dangerous too. They can cause moderate to mild stings. Caterpillars come in a range of vibrant to dull colors and different types of bodies. Read on to learn about these caterpillars, their bite, and what you should do if you get stung by one.If you enjoyed this article, why not also read our fascinating articles about do beavers eat fish and do chickens eat mice here on Kidadl?Are caterpillars poisonous?No, all caterpillars are not dangerous. Stinging caterpillars have quill-like, hollow hairs which they use to defend themselves. These hairs are connected to their venom sacs that release venom when the hair pierce the victim’s skin. After the bite of stinging caterpillars, the reactions that come after the bite include swelling, dermatitis, blistering, sometimes intestinal disturbances, severe pain, and mild itching.Giant Silkworm caterpillars of the Saturniidae family are species of large leaf-feeding caterpillars, and some moths are one of the most colorful moths, of which only two have venomous spines on their bodies.The caterpillar form of the Buck moth is purplish-black to brown and possesses many yellow-colored specks on it. The body has many black spines that are branched along with black or red-colored ends. Buck moth can be commonly seen on willow trees or oak trees during the mid-summer season or spring. Buck moth is also widely spotted by people when the mature larvae come out to search for a place where they can pupate.The caterpillar of the Io moth is yellow to light green in color, with a red line on each side that has a white line below. Mature Io moth caterpillars can attain a length of 2 in (5 cm) and possess branched yellow spines with black tips. The Io moth can be found on various plants upon which it feeds, such as roses, corn, linden, willow, oak, elm, apple, locust, ash, beech, clover, and currant.Do all caterpillars bite?Caterpillar is the initial stage of butterflies and moths. Caterpillars usually have barbed hooks and spines on them. The majority of caterpillar species are harmless, and only some are stinging caterpillars. Only the caterpillar stage of stinging caterpillars species is harmful, and the adult moths do not possess any stinging hairs.Many species of flannel moth caterpillars belong to the family Meglopygidae, which can be spotted commonly. The caterpillars of this family possess venomous spines under their silky hairs, unlike other stinging caterpillars. The spines of these caterpillars can cause a painful sting that leads to swelling for a few days. While many caterpillars in Meglopygidae possess stinging hairs, the most common white flannel moth caterpillar species are the white flannel moth caterpillar and puss moth caterpillar.White flannel moth caterpillar attains a length between 0.2-1 in (0.5-2.5 cm). It has a yellow body with a thick black-colored stripe running down its back and a red-colored border at each end. Along with the hairs, it also possesses 11 pairs of raised yellow-colored tuffs. Along the sides of the body, there are smaller tuffs present. Its long, silky, and dark-colored hair doesn’t sting, but the hairs at the base are needle-like and stinging. You can spot the larvae of this species in the summer season on honey locusts, beech, mimosa, hackberry, and redbud.Puss caterpillar, also commonly called asp or southern flannel moth caterpillar, is a 1 in (2.5 cm) long caterpillar whose soft brown-colored hairs form a dense wooly coat. It also possesses hairs at its bottom that look like a tail. Short venomous spines are located under these brown hair that can lead to severe irritation if stung by them. These commonly feed upon plants and trees like oak, maple, hackberry, sycamore, elm, and apple. Young ones can be seen feeding upon these trees and plants in small groups. The severity of the sting varies with the body size of the caterpillar. The stings of puss caterpillars are comparatively more severe than many others.Slug caterpillars belong to the Limacodidae family. They are stocky and small and can be found moving in a slug-like behavior on leaves as the legs and head cannot be seen when viewed from the top.The Saddleback caterpillar is a brown-colored caterpillar predominantly with a green middle and a purple spot in the middle of its green center. The Saddleback caterpillar possesses two horns present at the rear and the front. Saddleback caterpillar stings can cause extreme irritation to the victim. You can spot these brown caterpillars on deciduous trees like oak, cherry, plum, basswood, and chestnut.Spiny oak slug is a pale green-yellow colored caterpillar that possesses four dark-colored patches of stinging hairs that are present near the hind, along with many yellow, red, and spiny, fleshy lobes. The back of the adult caterpillar is brownish. It feeds upon willow, chestnut, beech, oak, wild cherry, sourwood, bayberry, pear, and many more trees. It is venomous but more minor when compared to the Saddleback caterpillar.What does a caterpillar rash look like?If a caterpillar stings you, the area may turn red, it may blister, and it can also lead you to the hospital. The severity of the rash depends upon the caterpillar species, the size of the caterpillar, and the age of the victim. The severity of the sting depends. A red rash is common to appear on the affected area.Species of stinging caterpillars include the Io moth caterpillar, saddleback caterpillar, hickory tussock moth caterpillar, spiny oak slug caterpillar, flannel moth caterpillar, and buck moth caterpillar.The severity of the puss caterpillar (also called the asp or southern flannel moth caterpillar) is considered the most painful in Texas. The sting of this puss caterpillar is excruciating and will most likely require a doctor’s office or a hospital visit. Upon contact with the sharp hairs of these caterpillars, the hairs detach and stay in the skin of the victim, causing a stinging rash and severe irritation. Reddish-colored spots become visible at the place of injury and are accompanied by immediate pain.If you are stung by a Saddleback caterpillar, the reactions range from red blanching near the injured area to welts or rash that itch and swell. The sting can cause inflammation and a burning sensation for both an adult and young children.If you get stung by an Io moth caterpillar, the affected area may become red, and there may be itchiness along with a burning sensation.If you get stung by a Hag moth caterpillar, you may experience redness and inflammation appearing on the affected area, along with a stinging, burning, and itching sensation.If a Bug moth caterpillar stung you, the caterpillar’s spines could become caught in your skin. These spines release toxins into the victim and cause swelling, redness, and stinging sensations. These symptoms remain for at least a day but can sometimes stay for more than a week.The Spiny oak slug caterpillar can release their hollow spines, which have a toxin gland present in its base. The sting of this caterpillar is mild compared to others but is still accompanied by redness, inflammation, and a burning sensation.Caterpillar Rash SymptomsStinging caterpillars stay concealed and only sting when they feel threatened or meddled with. If a caterpillar stings you, you might not realize it until you start to experience the after-effects of the sting. Caterpillar sting symptoms include reddish-colored spots appearing on the affected area accompanied by immediate pain. Some people feel it immediately, while others feel it a few minutes later. The pain may go away in an hour, a day or linger on for a week.The reaction of people to the toxin of caterpillar varies. Some people may experience a severe reaction, while others may not feel much discomfort due to the thickness of their skin. Some people can experience headaches, vomiting, nausea, respiratory shock, or stress. It is advised to seek medical attention immediately if you are experiencing an allergic reaction to the toxins secreted by the caterpillar. If there is any contact with the eyes, a visit to the doctor is a must.If you feel a painful sting and the stinging caterpillar is still in contact with your skin, you should brush it off immediately. You can then remove any stinging caterpillar spines that may be lodged in your skin with the help of transparent tape or adhesive tape. It would be best to wash the affected areas with water and soap to wash off the pain-inducing toxin secreted by the caterpillar.You can also apply baking soda or an ice pack on the area where you got stung as it provides some relief from the burning sensation, pain and can even reduce swelling caused by the venom. There aren’t many first aid treatments that you can perform at home, so it is advised to reach the nearest hospital as soon as possible to prevent severe reactions. Unhealthy, aged, or very young children have a higher chance of experiencing a severe allergic reaction.You can avoid stinging caterpillars by wearing pants and full-sleeves outdoors and resisting the urge to sit under trees.If you feel there are many stinging caterpillars in your area, you can manage the population by using a pesticide that contains azadirachtin and spinosad.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for do caterpillars bite, then why not take a look at do bats eat mosquitoes or do jellyfish sting.
Most people start noticing caterpillars crawling on and around trees and plants by the end of the summer season.
