Gently put tape over the exposed area, sticky side down. Any kind of tape will do. Pull up the tape, removing the hairs or spines. Repeat with fresh pieces of tape as often as needed to treat the area involved. Wash the area gently with soap and water. If the area itches, put on a paste of baking soda and water. If that doesn't help, try a hydrocortisone cream. If that doesn't help, try an antihistamine cream.
Also, some people have skin reactions to these creams. If the area is badly blistered, contact your health provider. Call your health provider about a tetanus booster if your shots are not up to date. Wear a hat and gloves while gardening. If a caterpillar is stuck to the skin, remove it with a stick or tool. Do not touch it with bare hands. Teach children to leave caterpillars alone! This Really Happened Case 1: A woman brushed her pinky finger against a saddleback caterpillar.
If the caterpillar is still on you, immediately brush it off if possible and then use tape to remove the spines that may still be in your skin, Brown said.
Washing the area with soap and water and applying an ice pack to the sting may offer some relief, and an oral antihistamine may help to relieve itching. Over-the-counter insect sting and bite relief products can also help. Other symptoms after a sting can include nausea, vomiting, headaches, respiratory stress or shock. Since reactions to the toxins from stinging caterpillars can vary, seek medical advice or treatment immediately or go to an emergency room if you are concerned.
Merchant also stressed that any contact with eyes or an allergic reaction to a sting requires immediate medical attention. Keck has reported sightings of both buck moth caterpillars and tussock moth caterpillars in the Bexar County area already this spring.
Texans statewide need to be on the alert and keep an eye on trees and shrubs for caterpillar development, which typically occurs now into the fall. Some common tree hosts are apple, basswood, cherry, dogwood, elm, maple, plum and oak, which is a favorite of the buck moth caterpillar. Use products containing Bacillius thuringiensis or carbaryl for control. Always read and follow label instructions.
The use of some products may not be legal in your state or country. Please check with your local county agent or regulatory official before using any pesticide mentioned in this publication. Stinging Caterpillars.
Figure 1. Urticating hair tip of a saddleback caterpillar showing the pore near the tip from which the toxin is secreted and the weakened ring where the tip breaks off the spine. Giant Silkworm Caterpillars Family Saturniidae We have many species of silkworm caterpillars in Kentucky, but only two members of this group possess poisonous spines.
Buck Moth Hemileuca maia The mature two-inch caterpillar is brown to purplish black with numerous yellow spots. Figure 2. A mature buck moth caterpillar. Io Moth Automeris io The caterpillar is overall light green to yellow, but along each side there is a narrow red line bordered below by a white line.
Figure 3. A mature Io moth caterpillar. Flannel Moth Caterpillars Family Meglopygidae There are several species of flannel caterpillars that may be encountered. Puss Caterpillar Megalopyge opercularis This one-inch caterpillar is covered with a dense wooly coat of soft brown hair, with hairs at the rear end tail-like.
Figure 4. A pus moth caterpillar with a long tail of hairs photo: G. Lenhard, Bugwood. Black-Wave Flannel Moth Caterpillar Megalopyge crispata Very similar in appearance to the puss moth caterpillar in their final larval stage, they can be commonly found in a younger stages which look somewhat different from mature larvae.
Figure 5. Color variation with black wave flannel moth caterpillar. Note they are missing the long tail of the more venomous puss caterpillar. Figure 6. With younger black-wave flannel moth caterpillars, the long wispy hairs hide the venomous short, sharp spines.
Figure 7. A white flannel moth caterpillar. Slug caterpillars Family Limacodidae Slug caterpillars are short and stocky and creep about on leaves in a slug-like manner. Small slug caterpillars may be found feeding in groups, but the older larvae are solitary feeders. Saddleback Caterpillar Sibine stimulea The caterpillar is brown in front and rear, green in the middle with a purple spot in the center of the green saddle.
A saddleback caterpillar with one damaged horn. Many tussock moth caterpillars, including this one, are considered tree pests due to their ravenous and undiscriminating taste for woody plants. Orgyia leucostigma. Tussock Caterpillars Family Lymantriidae. Forests from southern Canada to Florida and Texas. Just about any tree, both deciduous and evergreen. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content.
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Updated December 12, Featured Video. Wagner, David L. Princeton University Press, , Princeton, N. Cite this Article Format. Hadley, Debbie. How to Feed and Care for a Caterpillar. Butterflies and Moths, Order Lepidoptera. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for ThoughtCo. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data.
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