I saw one of these little babies and thought it was fascinating. Of course I wanted to touch its hair, see if it was a soft as it looked. Luckily I thought best I leave it in peace... it could have rocked mine had I brushed it.
It's hairs are actually poison-filled spines that cause waves of intense pain, rashes, shock, swelling, cramps, nausea and more. They are the most poisonous caterpillars in the US and live in the south, from Texas to Florida and up to Maryland feeding on apple, birch, hackberry, oak, persimmon, almond, pecan, oak, elm and sycamore trees.
If you contact one you have to pull the spines out with tape and seek medical attention.
Something so unusual, so small and oddly pretty is enticing in appearance & I guess they gotta have some defense to keep big human being from toying with it.
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7 years ago
17 comments:
It looks like part of a Gremlin :p
I think there is a fourth name for this caterpillar...'hairy bastard'
:) We can never trust anything that looks too terribly enticing unless we know what we are getting ourselves into...
I've come across a few of those 'hairy bastards' in my time. Yes, best to leave them alone no matter how much you may want to touch them! LOL!
Good thing you didn't lick it . . . :)
Dee...they are freaky looking, aren't they? Hahaha, I'm sure you have seen those big hairy black and orange ones and the big shiny green ones too. Camping in the spring, they are bound to be found in the south.
Oceans...hahaha, didn't even consider it but at least now you know that if you should come across one that you should definitely resist the temptation!
Yikes! Oh, sisterlove.....
Hahahaa...sister. I seem to recall you being on the phone with me the evening after I had posted this...when I decided to run real quick to my car with a new pair of socks on after dark...lol, my feet are safe, the socks have been thrown out and unfortunately, one fat, hairy bastard found his fate under my foot...
Dang.
I'da petted the darn thing.
*sigh*
Gawddddddd....that's just so predictably ME. LOL
Lol, Mel...if it weren't so pretty, I would have too! I was afraid it was delicate like a butterfly...and I didn't want to rock its peace.
Ok my girlfriend got bit by one of these today and she couldnt sleep....
I sat on one of these by a pecan tree in Texas. It felt like a mosquito bite for about 90 minutes.
Anon....I don't think they bite in a literal sense...more like they sting like a jellyfish. Hope your girlee-whirlee is doing alright!
Gliebster...Ouch! I just saw one last week-end. Everyone wanted to kill it :( I used a big old magnolia leaf to scoop him outta harms way. I figure he's here for a reason and it isn't just to sting us...
Skinny
Thank you. This little Post saved My daughters life me thinks. She found one at a local wash, brought it home and figured out what it was. if it was not for this blog she might be in the hospital or worse. Big Thanks.
This hair bitch caught me 18 hrs ago...n its still itching n swollen....they r prevalent in Guyana South America.....im accustomed of getting the rashes
I live in West Central Florida and found one of these on my shirt - ONLY - after I rested my arm on it and the dang thing stung me. IT REALLY REALLY HURTS! I killed it - the stinking jerk! I'll keep an eye on it today and if it gets worse - I'll be going to the ER to have it checked out. NOT COOL MOTHER NATURE!!!
My husband had one of these guys sitting on his collar i told him what is that thinking it might be lint however on second glance it looked to uniform to be just lint so i told him not to move n i took it off with a paper towel wow are we lucky!!!
My husband had one of these guys sitting on his collar i told him what is that thinking it might be lint however on second glance it looked to uniform to be just lint so i told him not to move n i took it off with a paper towel wow are we lucky!!!
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