The Southern Flannel Moth, also known as the puss caterpillar, is known as one of the most poisonous caterpillars in the U.S. A 15-year-old boy was reportedly sent to the hospital after the insect made contact with his skin, causing a severe rash that spread to his chest. Photo by DeAgostini/Getty Images Beware of the puss caterpillars. This one is called the puss caterpillar and is the larval form of the Southern flannel moth (Megalopyge opercularis. The sting comes from hollow spines hidden by the soft fur in several colors ranging from blond to dark brown. The puss caterpillar is just one more strange insect in 2020. This caterpillar gives a nasty bite and is also called a puss moth, woolly slug, or Italian asp. This fascinating caterpillar sighting was made in Guyana, South America. Many folks in the South are more familiar with the stinging caterpillar which is known as an Asp. It may look like Donald Trump's hair on a good day, but under those flowing brown locks are hidden rows of stinging spines. Generally, stinging caterpillars – mainly the puss caterpillar, also known as the Southern flannel moth or the asp – are rare north of the Mason-Dixon Line, says … Andrea Stephenson recorded as many as twenty caterpillars known locally as Hairy Worms feeding on her juniper tree. The fur of this caterpillar contains numerous venom releasing spines that can cause severe reactions in people. … Stinging caterpillar species include the buck moth caterpillar, spiny oak slug caterpillar, hickory tussock moth caterpillar, saddleback caterpillar and Io moth caterpillar. ... Caterpillar of the southern flannel moth Megalopyge opercularis. The Puss Moth is a stinging caterpillar found at Lake Wales Ridge State Forest, Florida. Found this on a pomegranate bush I'm going to try to see through the winter here. This caterpillar is also known as the Tree Asp or Asp Caterpillar. To treat caterpillar stings, you need to clean the site of the sting, treat the symptoms of the sting, and consult a medical professional if symptoms become severe. A mother says her 5-year-old was stung by a Southern Flannel Moth caterpillar (also known as the puss or asp caterpillar) while at daycare, resulting in a brief hospitalization. The Southern Flannel caterpillar—also called the puss caterpillar or the asp—has one of the most painful stings of any insect in North America. It is very hairy, almost cuddly, yet packs quite a sting. Megalopyge opercularis is a moth of the family Megalopygidae. They can also be found as far west as Texas and Arkansas. The flannel moths or crinkled flannel moths (scientific name Megalopygidae) are a family of insects. The best known flannel moth and stinging caterpillar in Texas is the southern flannel moth, or puss moth caterpillar, Megalopyge opercularis. In Texas these caterpillars are commonly known as “asps”. This caterpillar is often abundant and may infest shade trees and shrubbery around homes, schools, and in parks. Automeris io. Bottom side of the caterpillar. In recent years some have likened it to Donald Trump’s hairstyle. Possible Effects of a Puss Caterpillar Sting. ... Blisters from a puss moth caterpillar sting . Stinging caterpillar species include the buck moth caterpillar, spiny oak slug caterpillar, hickory tussock moth caterpillar, saddleback caterpillar and Io moth caterpillar. Figure 2. Sting. This is warning coloration alerting other animals to stay away. This is a Puss Caterpillar, the larval stage of the Southern Flannel Moth. They occur in North America (11 species) and the New World tropics. They are worms with pretty hairdos but will sting severely. Automeris. For more information, read this fact sheet from the University of Florida Department of Entomology and Nematology. They have venomous spines that can cause a painful sting and inflammation lasting for several days. While adult Southern Flannel Moths are striking to behold, the larvae of this species is capable of delivering a sting so painful, some liken the sensation to a sudden amputation. It is so named because of the vicious sting it is reported to give. )It has hundreds of hairs on its body that resemble a kitten's fur. The adult version of the puss larvae is the harmless southern flannel moth, but unlike it, the larva poses a danger … It has numerous common names, including southern flannel moth for its adult form, and puss caterpillar, asp, Italian asp, woolly slug, opossum bug, puss moth, tree asp, or asp caterpillar. After the Asp, the caterpillar most likely to sting your dog or cat is the buck moth. Thanks Daniel! Most dangerous caterpillar. Reactions to caterpillars and moths; Type of reaction Clinical features; Localised stinging reaction: The majority are caused by caterpillars. See the photo below for an example of what symptoms of a rash caused by a caterpillar … Puss moth caterpillar by Valerie Bugh (c) (AustinBug.com) This cute little fella, Megalopyge opercularis (left) , goes by the name puss, tree asp, or southern flannel moth caterpillar. Signature: Dianna w. Southern Flannel Moth. The mature white flannel moth caterpillar (Figure 1) can reach 1 1/4 inch in length. Growing as long as 1.25 inches, it has a yellow body marked with a wide black stripe down the back, bordered with red at … Io moth caterpillar. The larva of this species is entirely covered by a thick carpet of long grayish-tan to dark brown hairs with a rusty stripe down the center of the back. In NZ, the gum leaf skeletonizer sting can cause pain, redness, and weal formation (swollen small red bumps or large flat areas). The southern flannel moth is found from New Jersey to Florida and west to Arkansas and Texas. Southern flannel moth caterpillars are widespread in the United States and can commonly be found on the East Coast in states stretching from New Jersey to Florida. Flip Through . A close up of the caterpillar (Cerura erminea). It has numerous common names, including southern flannel moth for its adult form, and puss caterpillar, asp, Italian asp, woolly slug, opossum bug, puss moth, tree asp, or asp caterpillar for its larval form. A M. opercularis caterpillar on Kent Island, Maryland. This larva should not be handled at all The caterpillars' fur hides toxic spines that stick to your skin. There are several species of buck moth occurring throughout North America, all in the genus Hemileuca. Stinging hairs are intermixed … The Puss Caterpillar, the larval stage of the Southern Flannel Moth, is considered to deliver the most toxic sting of any native caterpillar in the U.S. Its cute, furry appearance, reminiscent of a certain politician’s remarkable hairdo, makes it irresistible to touch, resulting in a nasty surprise. Thought to be Stinging Mexican Flannel Moth caterpillar sighted in Guyana, South America – photo Andrea Stephenson. Younger larvae have a thick tuft of hairs extending beyond the tip of the abdomen like a tail. The southern flannel moth caterpillar has developed exceptional defense practices against predators. According to the Virginia Department of Forestry health team, these caterpillars have been spotted in the eastern part of the state. Puss caterpillar or Southern flannel moth, Megalopyge opercularis. Of the more than 150,000 species of butterflies and moths in the United States, approximately 50 have the ability to inflict a painful sting. ... Notes: The larva of this specis is often called a "puss-moth caterpillar". Stinging caterpillar species include the buck moth caterpillar, spiny oak slug caterpillar, hickory tussock moth caterpillar, saddleback caterpillar and Io moth caterpillar. The caterpillar, known as the Southern Flannel Moth, or the puss caterpillar, is known to be the most venomous caterpillar in the U.S. and "can cause more pain than a bee sting… The southern flannel moth will give you a painful sting. bivoltine (has two broods per year) with a possible partial third brood in the Deep South Dear Dianna, This is a Southern Flannel Moth, also called a Puss Caterpillar Moth, Megalopyge opercularis. The Buck Moth: Another Caterpillar That Could Sting Your Pet. Venomous spines under the hairs can produce a very painful. Dear Nature Enthusiast, This is a stinging Flannel Moth Caterpillar, Megalopyge lanata, and it should be handled with extreme caution. Perhaps the most painful caterpillar in Texas is the southern flannel moth caterpillar, also known as the asp or puss caterpillar. Now the Southern flannel moth caterpillar, or white flannel moth caterpillar, looks like what you’d expect a stinging caterpillar to look. Their habitat starts in Maryland and sweeps down south to Florida and west into Texas and Missouri, inhabiting all the states in-between. Caterpillar stings can cause minor symptoms or they can initiate a potentially dangerous allergic reaction. Caterpillar (Cerura erminea) 18. Matt Bertone. The larvae are called puss caterpillars, and with their long hairs, resemble cotton balls. — University of Florida. In the end, you will recover more easily from your caterpillar sting. Flannel Moth Caterpillar. A dults are moths (flannel moth) that lay eggs that hatch into a dangerous larva. The most dangerous is the asp caterpillar, which is the larva of the southern flannel moth, Megalopyge opercularis (Figure 2). The yellow body is marked with a wide black stripe down the back that is bordered with red at each end. Common Names: Asp, Flannel Moth, Puss Caterpillar, Tree Asp With many-branched spines full of poison, this io moth caterpillar is ready for a … They are considered the most highly venomous caterpillars in North America. Perhaps the most painful caterpillar in Texas is the southern flannel moth caterpillar, also known as the asp or puss caterpillar. Io Moth Caterpillar. For this reason, when our skin comes into contact with the caterpillar’s hairs, we experience intense, stabbing pain. According to an article on Research Gate: “Shinney is a colloquial term used to describe a hairy caterpillar in Trinidad and Tobago.There have been at least four instances in 2010 in which people were envenomated by shinneys in the Bon Accord region of Tobago.” Puss Caterpillar Invades Virginia. Hidden in the hairs of this hairy slug-like larva are spines that pack a very painful sting if touched. The southern flannel moth will give you a painful sting. The name of ‘puss caterpillar’ comes from the fact that they look like tiny Persian cats. Asps and Other Stinging Caterpillars. The spines, when brushed against the skin, produce a painful rash or sting. The best known flannel moth and stinging caterpillar in Texas is the southern flannel moth, or puss moth caterpillar, Megalopyge opercularis . In Texas these caterpillars are commonly known as “asps”. While adult Southern Flannel Moths are striking to behold, the larvae of this species is capable of delivering a sting so painful, some liken the sensation to a sudden amputation. In this manner, are flannel moths dangerous? Southern Flannel Moth. Among the small number of Megalopygid species found in North America is the notorious Puss Moth caterpillar (Megalopyge opercularis), also known as the Southern Flannel Moth and appropriately named Asp. The caterpillars are sometimes called Asp Caterpillars because contact with one feels like a snake bite. Murder hornets and zombie cicadas have been news topics in 2020, so it isn't unusual that we end the year with another crazy or dangerous insect. The caterpillar's stings are known to be deeply painful and may … Click to see full answer. puss moth caterpillar (Megalopyge opercularis), or Southern Flannel Moth. It is common in Florida but reaches its greatest abundance in Texas. The chemical makeup of puss caterpillar venom is … Io moth butterflies and their caterpillars … Other species of caterpillar, like the southern flannel moth (Megalopyge opercularis) indigenous to parts of Texas, are known to inflict stings and trigger a localized skin reaction. One of the most toxic stinging caterpillar species is the Southern Flannel caterpillar (Megalopyge opercularis). Saturniidae. Thus, their strategies include defensive mimicry and the production of proteolytic, neurotoxic, and allergenic toxins. These stinging hairs have a toxic venom inside them. 1. White flannel moth caterpillar. This caterpillar is about 1″ long when mature. The most common stinging caterpillars in Central Texas are: Southern flannel caterpillar, aka puss moth caterpillar or asp (most painful) Buck moth caterpillar; Iocaterpillar; Spiny oak slug caterpillar; Saddleback caterpillar; Hickory tussock moth caterpillar; Metamorphosis explained They like oak, on inspection found more on an oak in the backyard and an old cocoon. Asp Caterpillars (Megalopyge opercularis) have a variety of nicknames: southern flannel moth, puss caterpillar, and the tree asp. The furry puss caterpillar, the larval stage of the southern flannel moth, is one of the most poisonous caterpillars in the US. 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