Why you shouldn’t pet this fluffy caterpillar
The puss caterpillar is fluffy, but not meant to be touched. Image: Facebook/@cindy.roldan.37
The Internet is home to photos and videos of adorable animals, from house pets like cats and dogs, up to any critter from farm animals to those in the wild.
So when photos of a furry caterpillar surfaced on social media, netizens were abuzz on what the fluffy creature could be.
Commenters compared it to a puppy (a shih tzu and a caterpillar, one suggested), an alien creature, or Donald Trump’s hair in a yellow version of the caterpillar.
However, don’t be fooled by its soft, fuzzy exterior. It is tempting to touch, but brings “excruciating pain” to victims, according to National Geographic.
National Geographic reports that the furry puss caterpillar (Megalopyge opercularis) is the “most venomous caterpillar in the United States” and hides toxic spines that, when in contact, will stick to one’s skin.
Some victims have had to be rushed to hospitals from the effects of the venom. According to Medical Daily, the reaction could lead to “vomiting, fever, convulsions, and a drop in blood pressure.”
The searing pain is worse than a bee sting and “can make your bones hurt” up to 12 hours, says University of Florida entomologist Don Hall. However, the reaction depends also from person to person.
What do you do if you get stung? Cover the affected area with scotch tape and rip it to remove spines in the wound, Hall recommends. Medical Daily advises to place a “paste of baking soda and water over the area.”
The puss caterpillars become flannel moths, and while they have non-venomous hair, they are reported to “fling poop away from their bodies” possibly to protect their caterpillars from parasites.
When in Florida, stay away from elm, oak and sycamore trees, where puss caterpillars are usually found. And no matter how fluffy it looks, keep your hands away. Niña V. Guno/JB
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