The very first rule of the MOSI Outside Guide to Nature: If you don't know what it is, then don't touch it.
At MOSI Outside, we teach this simple 'rule of nature' to keep you safe from wildlife and wildlife safe from you. Nature has a lot of ways to communicate that a plant or animal may be harmful to you, and heeding those warnings is a great way to not have a negative encounter with nature.
This post contains information about why you shouldn't go about touching strange caterpillars, even if they do look like a Star Trek tribble.
Warning signs in caterpillars:
- Aposomatic Signals: Bright, garish and dangerous looking, some species make themselves incredibly obvious in color and form to advertise that they should be left alone.
- Mimicry: Some non-toxic or less-toxic species mimic other species that are highly toxic to help reinforce the lesson for predators.
- Spines and hairs: Large or small, spines, hairs and horns on caterpillars are a warning of danger for predators. Spines are not only no fun to swallow, but also may be filled with toxins.
The Venemous and Stinging Caterpillars of Florida
Saddleback Moth
(Acharia stimulea)
The Saddleback Moth is one of the caterpillars in Florida which you most want to avoid touching. The spines that cover the body of this caterpillar are hollow and contain a venom that is pumped into the body of any creature that has the misfortune to tangle with this larva.
This caterpillar gets it's common name from the saddle-like shape that it bears on its back. This caterpillar hosts on lots of different plants but especially can be found feeding on ornamental palms.
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Nothing says go away quite like a mess of lime green spikes and a bright red racing stripe down the side. The larva of the Io moth seems to go out of its way to look unfriendly.
The caterpillars feed on a large variety of host plants, and because of that can be quite common. With all of these options, you'll likely run into this caterpillar at some point.
- Salix — Willow
- Acer rubrum — Red maple
- Amorpha fruticosa — Bastard indigo
- Baptisia tinctoria — Wild indigo
- Carpinus caroliniana — American hornbeam
- Celtis laevigata — Sugarberry or Southern Hackberry
- Cephalanthus occidentalis - Button-bush
- Cercis canadensis — Eastern Redbud
- Chamaecrista fasciculata — Showy Partridge Pea
- Comptonia peregrina — Sweetfern
- Cornus florida — Flowering dogwood
- Corylus avellana — Common hazel
- Fagus — Beech
- Fraxinus — Ash
- Liquidambar styraciflua - American Sweetgum
- Quercus - Oak
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Southern Flannel Moth
(Megalopyge opercularis)
Yes, this caterpillar totally looks like a fluffy and adorable puppy, a tribble or like someone left a small toupee on a leaf. You almost want to pet it because it just looks so darned fluffy! Don't. Trust us.
Hiding among those soft looking hairs are bunches of hollow spines filled with venom. The pain caused from the venom has been described as "searing" and radiates out from the point of the sting and cause nausea, swelling, vomiting, chest pains, and other horrifying-sounding symptoms.
Southern Flannel Moths
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Hag Moth
(Phobetron pithecium)
Also known as the Monkey Slug caterpillar, this bizarre creature has several long protrusions that do look a bit like arms. The soft looking fur is, of course, actually a multitude of tiny hollow spines filled with venom.
Weirdly, the arms of this caterpillar can fall off or be shed without much damage to the caterpillar. This likely allows the caterpillar to make a get away when a predator attempts to take a bite. While the predator is flailing about in pain, the Hag Moth leaves an arm behind and scoots away for a nice lunch.
This species hosts on apple, ashes, birches, chestnut, dogwoods, hickories, oaks, persimmon, willows and other common woody plants. Hag Moth caterpillars are especially reported to be found in orchards.
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This caterpillar just, straight off, does not look friendly. Dark in color with branching spines and touches of bright orange, this larva does not seem to invite you closer. Buck moths host on oak trees so be mindful for these caterpillars under oak canopy.
Buck moths, like many other species of stinging caterpillars can still sting you after they are dead. The hollow venom-filled hairs retain their ability to sting even if the caterpillar is dead, the hairs are shed into the cocoon or even left behind on a plant... like a terrible parting gift.
Thankfully, these caterpillars are only really found in Northern Florida and are not a problem for the Tampa Bay area. However, if you spend any time traveling north, don't touch the spiky caterpillar.
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Tussock Moth
(subfamily Lymantriidae)
Tussock moth caterpillars are bothersome to many people, in part due to their sheer numbers. Tussock moth adults emerge in early spring, when oak trees are putting on new leaves. The adult females are flightless, so males seek them out to mate. Females then lay eggs on the remains of their own cocoons, and caterpillars hatch soon afterward. They feed for a few weeks, and then seek out sheltered locations to pupate to cocoon.
Most tussock moth caterpillars (there are hundreds worldwide in the family Lymantriidae) have urticating hairs, which can cause allergic reactions in humans. Although Florida’s three main species are not as toxic as others, some individuals may be sensitive to skin contact with these caterpillars, so it’s best to avoid contact when possible. The urticating hairs are also incorporated into the cocoons, so avoid handling them as well.
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Spiny Oak Slug Moth
(Euclea delphinii)
The Spiny Oak Slug Moth is a highly variable caterpillar which can be found in colors like green, orange, red, pink, yellow and tan. The larva host on the leaves of many deciduous trees, so they can be found just about anywhere.
The sting of this caterpillar is considered to be mild, but if pain can be avoided entirely then skip playing with this colorful little fellow.
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In short, there aren't that many sorts of stinging caterpillars out there relative to the number of species of caterpillars found in the southeast. Still, if you don't know what it is: take a picture and make an identification rather than picking up a potentially harmful insect and taking it home.
Learn More about stinging caterpillars:
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