Hobbies And Interests
Stingers
The various types of stinging caterpillars located in Virginia all defend, or sting, in a similar way. They do not sting with a single stinger like a bee or wasp. Instead, their bodies are covered in hairlike spines that are attached to poison glands within the caterpillar's body. When touched, these spines break off into the victim, inflicting a painful sting.
Saddleback Caterpillar
The saddleback caterpillar displays the most exotic coloration of the stinging caterpillars. It gets its name from its green cloak that looks like a saddle blanket draped over the insect, with a purplish-brown oval in the center that resembles a saddle. The saddleback caterpillar is lined with a poisonous spine along the lateral sides of its body and has two hornlike bunches of spines located on its front and back.
Io Moth
The io moth caterpillar is twice the length of a saddleback caterpillar, stretching 2 1/2 inches long. It is neon green in color with red stripes lining its sides. The io moth caterpillar's body is covered in clusters of stinging hairs that are black tipped. Its sting is considered the least painful of the stinging caterpillars.
Puss Caterpillar
The puss caterpillar looks very innocent but delivers the most painful sting of all these venomous caterpillars. It is pear-shaped and about an inch long. It is covered in light brown, soft, mammal-like hair. Amid this dense hair are interspersed several spines that inflict a painful sting when touched. The light brown coloring makes this caterpillar more visible and easier to avoid when seen on plants and ground.