25 Year Old Mystery Solved! Caterpillar attack!

[purplerabbit]

So a number of you have heard the list of strange ways I have been injured before.

One of the most infamous occurred when I was 17 and camping in Northeastern Oklahoma. I was stung twice by a "fluffy white caterpillar" and had to have anti-venom shots. The two bright red welts on my right thigh actually left the lower part of my body numb. The emergency room doctor said that it was luck for me that it didn't sting anywhere near my lungs or heart.

So I got curious. Apparently there are quite a number of stinging caterpillars. Most didn't fit the description of the critter in questions. Finally, I found what I think is it: Lagoa crispata aka Crinkled Flannel Moth. The later forms of the caterpillar can be dark, but the early form is fluffy white.

Here are a couple sites with photos:
http://booksandnature.homestead.com/moth52.html
http://www.poisoncentertampa.org/venomouscritters/caterpillar_multi.html#flannelmoth

So if you ever thought I was making it up, now you know. Yes, caterpillars can be dangerous. In fact, there are literally dozens of sites on various types of stinging caterpillars. Most look pretty weird and I would not have picked them up because of that. But this one looked so harmless.

Comments

[deedeebythebay.livejournal.com]

I'll have to be certain to show some of those pictures to the girls!

[goldfish42.livejournal.com]

While in Tennessee I was stung by a caterpillar that crawled into my skirt while it was lying on the bank of a stream while I was skinny-dipping. from the photos in one of your links, I'm guessing it was the Buck Moth Caterpillar. Boy, did that ever hurt!! I didn't go to the hospital but it burned like the skin had been ripped off and it ached deep inside my thigh for the rest of the day. Everything down there is poisonous!

[inflectionpoint.livejournal.com]

Ack. That sounds really nasty. I am glad to know what the little beast that did you wrong was. Strange that something so small and squishy and helpless looking could be so toxic. Makes me want to be even more respectful of spiders.

Just for your info, I do carry adrenaline in my bag, in an inhaleable form. I will probably also start carrying an antihistamine syrup as well, please make use of them if you should ever need them. Allergic reactions can be Serious Scary Stuff.