Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Another Stinging Critter

Not long ago I was walking through some low vegetation near my house, and I felt a sting on my calf. Instinctively, I slapped at it. There was a caterpillar clinging to my leg, so I brushed it off. The sting lasted for several minutes.

The Stinging Caterpillar















Last year I wrote about the sting I got from the larva of the Gulf Fritillary Butterfly. This is a different caterpillar. I did some Internet research, but have not been able to identify this critter. Maybe some of our readers can tell me about this caterpillar. Please leave a comment if you can.

Our most recent Ocracoke Newsletter is a compilation of humorous stories told by or about islanders. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news092113.htm. 
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4 comments:

  1. Toni W.10:25 AM

    My google search says it is a stinging rose caterpillar.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous12:34 PM

    My grandmother always called stinging caterpillars "paxatles" not sure where that came from or if that spelling is even close, but I am assuming it is a rural west Georgia thing. I have been stung a few times, but never by one that looks like that.
    I can't wait to visit the island next month.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous4:04 PM

    I think maybe it's the Spiny Oak Slug Caterpillar. I got stung on the forearm by a critter that looked just like the one in your photo, two weeks ago near my home in Manteo. I still have a small welt where it got me.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Philip2:45 PM

    I am still not sure which species of caterpillar it is. It doesn't look like any images I can find.

    ReplyDelete

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