The above caterpillar is the most venomous caterpillar in the United States. It gained its common name, puss caterpillar, because of the soft covering of hair similar to a cat. However, looks are deceiving, and hidden in that hairy coat are rows of hollow spines. At the base of each spine is a venom gland. Contact with these spines can have very serious consequences, possibly including a trip to the ER.
Recently (September and early October) there have been sightings in eastern Virginia. If you see it, do not touch! Keep people and pets away from it. The venom is equally dangerous to family pets.
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These are relatively small moths with a wingspan of about 1” to 1.5”, and the females are slightly larger than males. Their range is from Florida to Maryland, and west to Texas and Arkansas in the United States. They are also found in Mexico and Central America. In the U. S., they are more common in the more southern states, particularly Florida and Texas. The populations can rise and fall dramatically based on weather, food availability, and the number of natural predators around. If you see the moth, it is likely that there can be caterpillars around. The moths typically have 2 broods per year, in early summer and in the fall.
For the purpose of this discussion, the larval stages are the most important, because of their ability to produce venom. The number of instars is not clearly understood. There may be as few as 5 or as many as 10, or it may be variable. All instars have spines and venom glands, but they are most easily seen on early instars.
As the instars become more mature, they develop more ‘hair’, which eventually will completely cover the venomous spines in the late instars. The introductory photo in this diary shows a final instar, looking very furry, but the spines are there. The venom becomes more potent as the instars mature.
Early instars are quite small (1.5mm) and size increases with each molt. The final instar can be about 1.4”.
Instars change color as they mature. Very early instars are yellow, then become greenish white to white as middle instars. The color of the late instars appears to vary, with some showing shades of gray, rust colors, or even a chocolate tone. For a variety of images of both moths and caterpillars, go here.
They prefer oak and elm trees, but not exclusively. Occasionally they have even been spotted on the sides of buildings. Here is what the cocoon looks like:
The following photo of a Southern Flannel Moth pupa is included because it clearly shows the pattern of the venomous spines. Remember, in the caterpillar, these bands of spines are covered with hair.
These bands of spines appear to be part of the pupa’s exoskeleton. When the adult moth exits the cocoon, it discards the pupal exoskeleton, including the bands of spines. The adult moth is not venomous, as far as I can tell.
The sting from the puss caterpillar looks like this:
The pattern will of course depend upon how much of the spine grid comes in contact with a person’s skin.
If you come into contact with a puss caterpillar, remove the broken-off spines by using cellophane tape and call your doctor. Making contact with the caterpillar could cause a rash, immediate intense pain, vomiting, fever, muscle cramps, swollen glands and shock, according to the University of Michigan Health System.
Disclaimer: I am not an entomologist, and I don’t know one that I could ask questions of while I was constructing this diary. Any mistakes or misinterpretations are mine alone. If there are entomologists or experts on these caterpillars among our bucketeers, please identify yourselves in the comments, because I still have lots of questions!
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