mystery stinging catapiller...What is it????

Mrs_stuart · #1 08/04/04, 03:41 PM

I was out picking beans this morning when i ran into about 10 of these little sting fellows out on the leaves. My hand was stinging everywhere i touched it. Does anyone know what this fellow is ????????? It has a green body and little fuzzy hairs all over it and a red stipe on the sides of its body. I threw them into the chicken pen and they wouldn't even touch them...so, what do you think?????

http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/the...&.dnm=a3fe.jpg

Belinda

Cyngbaeld · #2 08/04/04, 04:25 PM

"Io moth caterpillar, Automeris io (Fabricius) ( Plate 4 ). This is a pale green caterpillar with yellow and red stripes. It often exceeds 2" in length and is fairly stout-bodied. The nettling organs are borne on fleshy tubercles, and the spines are usually yellow with black tips. They feed on a wide range of plants, but ixora and rose are their favorite hosts."

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/BODY_IN014

Mrs_stuart · #3 08/04/04, 06:03 PM

I think that must be it... I looked at the site and it was pretty cool...who would have thunk that there was so many catapillers that could give you an ouchie!!!!!! thanks.

Belinda

Cyngbaeld · #4 08/04/04, 06:12 PM

I just never touch any of them. My mother told me when I was a child that some would sting, so I've always had a healthy respect for them. And you know, if the chickens won't touch it, it HAS to be nasty!

Mrs_stuart · #5 08/04/04, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cyngbaeld

I just never touch any of them. My mother told me when I was a child that some would sting, so I've always had a healthy respect for them. And you know, if the chickens won't touch it, it HAS to be nasty!

I found it by mistake...as i was picking beans, it was on the underside of a leaf and i didnt see it until it was too late...ouch!!!!

Belinda

Buffy in Dallas · #6 08/04/04, 10:48 PM

One of those got me this year. Major ouchie! :waa: My sympathies.

JulieNC · #7 08/05/04, 05:24 AM

I have been stung and bitten by all sorts of things, but NOTHING was worse than those stinking fire ants! We were in Florida a few weeks ago for my daughter's basketball, and I stepped in a fire ant hill hidden in the grass. I was lucky to get away with only 8 bites, two of which are STILL festering. Those things are vicious!!! Makes me very glad to live in NC--I don't think they've made it here yet.

Sympathies on the bite. When I get the stinging/biting things in my garden, it almost makes me want to use pesticides.