Virginia residents warned following reappearance of poisonous caterpillar
The creature, known as the puss caterpillar, measures just under an inch and a half, including the fur-like venomous spines it has on its body.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFThe puss caterpillar(photo credit: FREEIMAGE)Virginia residents have been warned of the reappearance of a poisonous caterpillar after one was spotted by a retired official from the Virginia Department of Forestry.The creature, known as the puss caterpillar, measures just under an inch and a half, including the fur-like venomous spines it has on its body.When touched, the poisonous spines cause an instant skin irritation which forms in a grid-like pattern around the sting, matching that of the pattern of the spines. The irritation is known to cause a white-hot excruciating pain that people compare with a broken bone or blunt-force trauma. The pain often comes in waves after exposure, and can last for up to eight to 12 hours."VDOF’s forest health team has received reports of the puss caterpillar in a few eastern Virginia counties," Virginia officials said on the department's Facebook page. "The 'hairs' of this caterpillar are actually venomous spines that cause a painful reaction if touched."The puss caterpillar is the unevolved form of the southern flannel moth and is the most poisonous caterpillar known in the United States. It feeds on elm and oak tree leaves, and can also be found in parks or near buildings.The sting will not only cause excruciating pain and rash, but could also lead to vomiting, fever, muscle pains and cramps, swollen glands and symptoms of shock, according to the University of Michigan."If you find the caterpillar, leave it alone and let its natural enemies control their populations –there are a number of other insects that will prey on them at different stages of their life cycle," the department concluded, adding a website where those interested could find more information about the poisonous creature.Just remember: It's cute, but it's dangerous.
