Puss Caterpillar Stings Visitor to San Antonio River Walk

Puss Caterpillar Stings Visitor to San Antonio River Walk
This article by Jerry Cates and Michelle Sparks, first published on 17 November 2012, was last revised on 29 November 2012. © Bugsinthenews Vol. 13:11(03). ———————————– On 12 November 2012 Michelle Sparks wrote: “Hi, Jerry: I’m not sure if you’re still collecting encounter reports on the puss caterpillar, but if you are, I thought I ...

Spiny Oak Slugs from McKinney Roughs Nature Park, and locales in the vicinity of the Texas Cities of Cedar Creek and League City

Spiny Oak Slugs from McKinney Roughs Nature Park, and locales in the vicinity of the Texas Cities of Cedar Creek and League City
— This article by Jerry Cates, Megan Bonnett, Janet FB, and Mark Turvey, first published on 4 November 2010, was revised last on 25 January 2015. © Bugsinthenews Vol. 11:11(04) —————————— The spiny oak slug (Euclea delphinii) is the larva (caterpillar) of a limacodid moth. The North American variant of this moth is mostly dark brown, ...

Puss Caterpillar Stings; First Aid Measures

— This article by Jerry Cates, first published on 7 March 2010, was last revised on 29 November 2012. © Bugsinthenews Vol. 11:03(12). —————————————– Several years ago, in conjunction with my research on the puss caterpillar, I asked visitors to the BugsInTheNews website for personal reports of experiences with puss caterpillar stings. Before long. thousands of emails ...

Puss Caterpillar Stings–Appropriate Medical Interventions

— This article by Jerry Cates, first published on 7 March 2010, was last revised on 13 October 2013. © Bugsinthenews Vol. 11:03(11). —————————————– Since it is common for puss caterpillar sting victims to go to nearby hospital emergency rooms for treatment, medical personnel should be familiar with this caterpillar and appropriate medical interventions. A list ...

Puss Caterpillars Don’t Always Sting

— This article by Jerry Cates, first published on 7 March 2010, was last revised on 6 July 2012. © Bugsinthenews Vol. 11:03(10). —————————————– Though most of the reports I receive on puss caterpillars describe the excruciating pain their stings cause, some tell me how they touched, even played with, these caterpillars without receiving any ill ...

Puss Caterpillar or Asp — General Information

Puss Caterpillar or Asp --- General Information
— This article by Jerry Cates, first published on 7 March 2010, was last revised on 22 January 2014. © Bugsinthenews Vol. 11:03(09). —————————————– Introduction: The puss caterpillar is the larva of an insect in the order Lepidoptera. More specifically, it is a flannel moth (so-called because the adult moth is clothed in short fine hairs ...

Exterminating Puss Caterpillars

— This article by Jerry Cates, first published on 2 March 2010, was last revised on 22 January 2014. © Bugsinthenews Vol. 11:03(07). —————————————– The following is a step-by-step approach that the author has used and supervised. It should be followed in the sequence prescribed. 1. First, protect yourself and others. On discovering a puss caterpillar infestation, insure that ...

Natural Predators of the Puss Caterpillar

Natural Predators of the Puss Caterpillar
— This article by Jerry Cates, first published on 2 March 2010, was last revised on 22 January 2014. © Bugsinthenews Vol. 11:03(06). —————————————– Unraveling the Mystery Mother Nature’s Perfect Pesticide: As you probably know, puss caterpillars, larvae of the flannel moth (Megalopyge opercularis), are legendary for their potent stings. In fact, they are believed to ...

The Stinging Apparatus of the Puss Caterpillar

The Stinging Apparatus of the Puss Caterpillar
— This article by Jerry Cates, first published on 1 March 2010, was last revised on 23 April 2016. © Bugsinthenews Vol. 11:03(01). —————————————– The puss caterpillar’s verrucae The primary stinging apparatus of the puss caterpillar is vested in verrucae (warty projections adorned with sharp spines under a coat of ornamental hairs) that cover the entire ...