Posted on 10/17/2020 12:43:55 PM PDT by BenLurkin
A bizarre little insect that looks like a walking toupée and squirts venomous pus from knifelike spines is terrorizing Virginia this year, according to the state's Department of Forestry (VDoF).
The venomous pus caterpillar is the larval form of the southern flannel moth (Megalopyge opercularis), and if you see one you should stay away from it. Its "hairs" are actually spines that make it among the most venomous caterpillars in the United States. A woman in New Kent County described the sensation of a "scorching hot knife passing through the outside of my calf" when she brushed against one on the door of her car, according to The Daily Progress.
Pus caterpillars have appeared in Virginia before, according to the VDoF. And they've been found as far north as New Jersey. But they're much more common in Florida and at greatest abundance in west-central Texas, according to the University of Florida. Eric Day, manager of Virginia Tech's Insect Identification Lab, told The Daily Progress that this appears to be "an outbreak year."
(Excerpt) Read more at livescience.com ...
Where I live we have these creatures called Processional Caterpillars, named for the way they follow each other in a straight line. They can give nasty stings to humans and can be fatal to pets. They aren’t as flamboyant looking as these Caterpillars but still pretty nasty. Best left alone.
Lord, I’ve never trusted toupee’s.
Toupee you say, quick, get some to Biden so he can sniff’em real good.
Gumout-carb-spray
Will ruin
Their day
Burma Shave
Not.
So where is the nearest Nuke Power Station?
I’m so glad I live far enough north (Eastern WA) to avoid most of those terrors. But the Murder Hornets are in Western WA.
LOL, I haven’t seen any murder hornets but I’m sure they are around somewhere. Even in our heat I wear a long sleeved shirt to pick blueberries. Stinging caterpillars love to hang out in blueberry bushes.
Well, if you’re a born-again Christian, you’ve already died with Christ (Romans 6:3-6) and will never die as Jesus promised (John 11:26). At some point you’ll simply leave you earthy “tent” (body) and be present in heaven with Christ (2 Corinthians 5:8).
Biden?
It has no protection from a size 12 boot.
Just in WA so far. And it’s claimed they can’t establish in my part of the state because it’s too cold in winter. We have rattlesnakes here, but generally easy to avoid.
Our bad snake here is the Copperhead. The rattlers stay away from people for the most part but Copperheads are ill tempered and will hide and wait to get you.
But the lady mentioned in the article got stung when she brushed up against it on her car door. That's where the problems occur. When they are out of boot range, and you don't see them. Pesky little devil caterpillars. 8>)
My late dear wife and my current gf are from tropical countries with wonderful snakes e.g. cobra. Some species will aggressively chase you and fast. Never did want to go on a jungle walk in their home lands, although I do not have a snake phobia, just realistically want to avoid danger to my well-being.
I have seen copperhead chase. I grew up in the swamps of the everglades so TN is mild in comparison. Still, not as bad as where you have been.
Speaking of nasty flora and fauna there’s a thorny vine that grows all through out the woods and pine barrens here in southern NJ. I encountered it a lot when I worked for home builders putting sub divisions in this area years ago.
It grows to about waist height. It’s whip like and has thorns about an inch long that can go through a pair of Carhart overalls with no problem.
“This is S. Tennessee. Everything here bites or stings.”
I was raised in Middle Tennessee and moved to Colorado. I tried to explain to the people here about Ticks, Chiggers, Fleas, Copperheads, Cottonmouths, etc.. but they just don’t get it. The stupid thing is they think I’m a Redneck and I tell them ‘you ain’t met any Rednecks have you?’.
It’s not completely hopeless. There are places in Colorado where rattlesnakes live . . . :-))
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