Stinging Caterpillar

IndianaPaul · Aug 29, 2002

Was out riding the 4-wheeler around pastures tonight and found out it isn;t just the yellow jackets I need to watch out for. Had a nice, bright green caterpillar, white stripe on sides with thin red line in white areas, about 1 inch long on my thigh. Must have fallen off brush I was riding through. Anyway, started feeling a very unpleasant stinging on underside of forearm when it brushed against the critter. Raised a nice welt about 1 in. diameter on my arm.

Live in Southern Indiana and have never come across this little beast. Anyone have a clue what it is? I'll try and find another this weekend and snap a pic of it.

IndianaPaul

Had it on my

DocHeb · Aug 30, 2002

How about an <A target="_blank" HREF=http://troyb.com/photo/gallery/052-36-IoMothCaterpillar.htm>Io moth </A>caterpillar? One of my favorite "pull-it-out-of-the-hat" diagnoses for Emergency Physicians, filed away up in my gray matter. They give a pretty intense pruritic (itching) and swelling reaction.

jyoutz · Aug 30, 2002

I had one of those fall out of a tree onto my neck last year. Very painful, but the pain only lasted for a short time.

DocHeb · Aug 30, 2002

Another caterpillar to watch for is the Asp, or <A target="_blank" HREF=http://troyb.com/photo/gallery/053-26-PussCaterpillar.htm>Puss Caterpillar</A>

IndianaPaul · Aug 30, 2002

Chris:

The Io Moth Caterpillar sure looks like it! Thanks for the heads up. Was my first experience with one of these little things. Felt just about like a bee sting, but covered a larger area (my fault since I laid my whole forearm down on it). Painful for a bit with light pain and swelling only lasting an hour or so.

Thanks again!

Paul

Chuck52 · Aug 30, 2002

I wonder if this is anything like the "packsaddle" that Granny used to warn against if we kids wandered into the corn filed?

Chuck

DocHeb · Aug 30, 2002

There are several families of caterpillars that can cause problems. The <A target="_blank" HREF=http://woodypest.ifas.ufl.edu/1008.htm>Saddleback Caterpillar</A> has the hairy spines that cause local, and sometimes systemic problems.