There has been a lot of reports lately about the "Puss Caterpillar" around the Florida area but now I just saw on the news that one has stung a toddler in my area and I'm very concerned. As a child I remember me and my cousins touching and picking up caterpillars if we saw one from time to time, not even knowing or being informed that one could possibly sting us, now that I know this I find it necessary to pass this info to other parents who may be unaware of any potential harms that could possibly come to our children from these caterpillars. I found a list of venomous caterpillars on www.poisoncentertampa.org and I thought I would share this with you all.- Puss Caterpillar - A convex, stout-bodied larva, almost 1" long when mature, and completely covered with gray to brown hairs. Under the soft hairs are stiff spines that are attached to poison glands. When touched, these poisonous spines break off in the skin and cause severe pain. Most often found on oaks and citrus. In Florida there are two generations a year, one in spring and the other in fall.
- lo Moth Caterpillar - Pale green with yellow and red stripes. Often exceeds 2" in length and is fairly stout-bodied. The nettling organs are borne on fleshy tubercles, and the spines are usually yellow with black tips. The spines are connected to poison glands. Ixora and rose are their favorite hosts.
- Buck Moth Caterpillar - A large caterpillar, 1-3/4" to 2-1/4" long when mature. It is yellow-brown to purplish-black with many small white spots and a reddish head. Feeds on oak, willow and other deciduous plants.
- Flannel Moth Caterpillar - This caterpillar is about 1" long when mature. Stinging hairs are intermixed with soft hairs in diffuse tufts. Larvae are creamy white (Upper photo), turning dark as they mature (lower photo). They feed on oak and various other shrubs and trees.
- Hag Caterpillar - Light- to dark-brown with nine pairs (sometimes fewer) of variable-length, lateral processes, which bear the stinging hairs. It is found on various forest trees and ornamental shrubs. Not as common as the other species.
- Saddleback Caterpillar - Brown with a green back and flanks, on which there is a conspicuous brown oval central area that usually is bordered with white. The brown spot looks like a saddle, and the green area looks like a saddle blanket. It may exceed an inch in length and is stout-bodied. The primary nettling hairs are borne on the back of paired fleshy protuberances toward the front and hind ends of the body. There is also a row of smaller stinging organs on each side.
- Spiny Oak-Slug Caterpillar - A pale-green caterpillar about 3/4" long when mature. Favorite food plants include oak, willow and other deciduous plants.
- Tussock Moth Caterpillar - Larvae are 1-1.5 inches in length. They are characterized by hair pencils of black setae that extend forward from the prespiracular verrucae of the prothorax, a dorsal hair pencil of black setae on the eighth abdominal segment, dorsal tussocks on the first four abdominal segments, and mid-dorsal glandular structures on abdominal segments six and seven.
If you or your child sees any of these caterpillars I highly suggest going the other way. If you (The Parent) can safely capture it without touching it that's great! Get it the hell from out your yard! Now if you or your child gets stung by one of these caterpillars, don't panic!
If Stung: Place Scotch tape over the affected area and strip off repeatedly to remove spines. Apply ice packs to reduce the stinging sensation, and follow with a paste of baking soda and water. If the victim has a history of hay fever, asthma or allergy, if allergic reactions develop,or if you don't have any of the following supplies contact a physician immediately.
