According to the Virginia Department of Forestry health team, these caterpillars have been spotted in the eastern part of the state. They can also be found as far west as Texas and Arkansas. Thought to be Stinging Mexican Flannel Moth caterpillar sighted in Guyana, South America – photo Andrea Stephenson. The southern flannel moth will give you a painful sting. In the end, you will recover more easily from your caterpillar sting. 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. 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… Saturniidae. The puss caterpillar is just one more strange insect in 2020. Hidden in the hairs of this hairy slug-like larva are spines that pack a very painful sting if touched. … This caterpillar is also known as the Tree Asp or Asp Caterpillar. The chemical makeup of puss caterpillar venom is … Puss caterpillar or Southern flannel moth, Megalopyge opercularis. 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. 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”. See the photo below for an example of what symptoms of a rash caused by a caterpillar … 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. Now the Southern flannel moth caterpillar, or white flannel moth caterpillar, looks like what you’d expect a stinging caterpillar to look. — University of Florida. Flip Through . In NZ, the gum leaf skeletonizer sting can cause pain, redness, and weal formation (swollen small red bumps or large flat areas). The yellow body is marked with a wide black stripe down the back that is bordered with red at each end. Their habitat starts in Maryland and sweeps down south to Florida and west into Texas and Missouri, inhabiting all the states in-between. Younger larvae have a thick tuft of hairs extending beyond the tip of the abdomen like a tail. Most dangerous caterpillar. 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 … It may look like Donald Trump's hair on a good day, but under those flowing brown locks are hidden rows of stinging spines. The southern flannel moth caterpillar has developed exceptional defense practices against predators. The adult version of the puss larvae is the harmless southern flannel moth, but unlike it, the larva poses a danger … Perhaps the most painful caterpillar in Texas is the southern flannel moth caterpillar, also known as the asp or puss caterpillar. Stinging hairs are intermixed … The most dangerous is the asp caterpillar, which is the larva of the southern flannel moth, Megalopyge opercularis (Figure 2). With many-branched spines full of poison, this io moth caterpillar is ready for a … 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. Southern Flannel Moth. 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. The larvae are called puss caterpillars, and with their long hairs, resemble cotton balls. 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. This is a Puss Caterpillar, the larval stage of the Southern Flannel Moth. Many folks in the South are more familiar with the stinging caterpillar which is known as an Asp. Caterpillar stings can cause minor symptoms or they can initiate a potentially dangerous allergic reaction. In this manner, are flannel moths dangerous? Reactions to caterpillars and moths; Type of reaction Clinical features; Localised stinging reaction: The majority are caused by caterpillars. 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 … Venomous spines under the hairs can produce a very painful. 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. 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. Stinging caterpillar species include the buck moth caterpillar, spiny oak slug caterpillar, hickory tussock moth caterpillar, saddleback caterpillar and Io moth 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 caterpillar's stings are known to be deeply painful and may … The Puss Moth is a stinging caterpillar found at Lake Wales Ridge State Forest, Florida. They like oak, on inspection found more on an oak in the backyard and an old cocoon. A dults are moths (flannel moth) that lay eggs that hatch into a dangerous larva. ... Blisters from a puss moth caterpillar sting . 1. 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. Io moth butterflies and their caterpillars … The name of ‘puss caterpillar’ comes from the fact that they look like tiny Persian cats. The caterpillars are sometimes called Asp Caterpillars because contact with one feels like a snake bite. One of the most toxic stinging caterpillar species is the Southern Flannel caterpillar (Megalopyge opercularis). Figure 2. The sting comes from hollow spines hidden by the soft fur in several colors ranging from blond to dark brown.