Stinging venomous caterpillars prompt warnings in southeast

BUFORD, GA (WXIA) -- Leslie Howe's visit to a Gwinnett County park led to a close encounter with a creature that appeared to come from outer space.

She's happy she and her children chose to look and not touch.

"I've never seen anything like that before," said Howe. "It looked like a cross between a rodent and a caterpillar."

Howe whipped out her cell phone and, with her infant in her arms, videotaped the creature. She didn't know she was close to a venomous puss caterpillar. Her children moved in for a look.

"That could have been extremely painful for one of them -- especially the baby," said Howe. "I don't know what kind of damage it could have done."

The puss caterpillar got its name from its cat-like fur. Beneath the fur are tiny spines ready to jab you with a shot of venom. It's as painful as a wasp sting or even a jellyfish.

"The pain begins to throb and sometimes you can feel it moving up the limb," said University of Georgia entomologist Dr. Nancy Hinkle. "Don't touch them."

The caterpillars are native to the Southeast, but typically stay high in trees away from people. However, recent encounters have prompted warnings in Texas and Florida. A sting sent one child to the doctor in North Carolina.

Dr. Hinkle says scotch tape will remove the spines buried in the skin while ice will sooth the wound.

There have been extreme, rare cases where a sting has led to sweating, nausea, and a trip to the doctor.

Fortunately, Leslie Howe's encounter was all amazement, and no pain.