I gently removed them from my dwarf yaupons and then did my homework. Apparently they are puss caterpillars, or asps. I know they sting, but I can avoid them...they're not very fast. ;) Will they do enough damage to my little shrubs that I should kill the caterpillars?
Thanks!
I can't help you one bit because I have never seen anything like that. How big is it?
You may want to post on the hummingbird butterfly forum, they have really helped me out over there, just don't mention killing them.
You should hope you never get stung by one! They have the most painful sting of any caterpillar. I got stung last year, the caterpillar was on an oak tree branch that a storm had damaged and stung me on the upper arm. I thought I was going to die! Nothing would ease the pain. I've been stung by scorpions and the puss moth was a hundred times worse.
Here is a good link about it;
http://insects.tamu.edu/fieldguide/cimg256.html
They do move very slow but if you found two of them, there is probably more around an you may get stung by having one drop from the tree, or picking something up and not see it. And as Calalily says, if it stings you, you will wished he was a Scorpion. I have seen a goodly mount of these asps this year and I must say do away with them. This is coming from a guy usually does not kill snakes.
Are they all over TX? I have never heard of such a thing.
I wouldn't hesitate to squish those. I would hate to have a child brush up against one. If you leave them there may be even more next year.
This one shows the adult moth.
http://hortipm.tamu.edu/pestprofiles/chewing/asp/asp.html
My neighbor just got stung by one when he was leaning against a tree with his hands up on a branch. He had pain up to his armpit! I think they live in oak trees, not sure what kind of oak.
Eek eek eek! I haven't thought about those things in a long time.
They live all across the southeast. I haven't seen one since I've been in Austin, so I guess I figured they were only in the more eastern (higher rainfall) parts of the state?
I'd agree to killing them. I suppose they fill some ecological niche and a very important to someone, but they're just too horrible to have in your yard.
Good Gravy, those asp really puts a hurting on you... I got stung by one last year also.... They leave tracts on you where they crawl.. It is the most painful thing I have ever felt... I think I was in pain for like 16 hours from that tiny little asp........
I get stung atleast three or four times a year by scorpions which make my lips go numb, but would rather be stung by them instead of the asp....
Trish
I can honestly say I have never even heard of these before. How big are they?
They are about 1 inch long.
I'm going to start being more careful for the first time in my 45 years.
Lisa
I found one a couple of days ago on my porch, crawling on a potted plant. I knew it was an asp of some kind but until I went to look on the internet, I didn't know how much its sting could hurt.
I'm sorry to hear that so many others are finding them now. The problem is avoiding them, since they could just drop down out of a tree onto us. In case of a sting I'm going to remember this advice: put a piece of tape over the spot it touches and then pull it off to get the spines out of your skin.
If you have been lucky enough not to have seen one of these, the distinctive thing about their appearance is the hair. It looks fairly thick and smooth, and goes down the length of the thing -- like a little wig. Mine was not as white as the one shown on the first post or as yellow as another picture. It was a light brown.
I saw one on an outside windowsill on Monday. I knew they stung, so didn't mess with it, but I didn't realize they were so bad. Thanks to all of you for the heads up, I now have to educate all the "wow, look at the cool caterpillar" people in my home not to touch them.
Kate
This message was edited Nov 11, 2009 6:21 PM
Those two asps are no longer among us. I've never been stung which I suppose was obvious by my nonchalant attitude. I'd read that their stings were painful, but I had no idea how much they hurt. I'm keeping a closer eye out for more of them. I don't usually kill something just to kill it, but these guys need to live free somewhere besides my yard!
FYI several years ago my son was stung by an asp so we took him to the emergency room he was really screaming the nurse took him into a room and used watered down bleach solution and daubed it on the stings and he seemed to quiet right away. So something to remember. And it won't hurt you to try. Bleach is Hypo chloride and water which is a solution from caustic and clorine so it must neutralize the poison.
Rucky, that's what the neighbor said to use. I haven't been stung again so haven't tried it. He also uses bleach when he gets scorpion stung.
I also use baking soda paste for bee and wasp stings it also neutralizes the acid in the poison and when it dries it usually takes the stinger with it. If it is not allready removed.
I use neat bleach on fire ant stings and it works a treat!
Take my word for it, baking soda did nothing for the pain of the asp sting. Neither did benedryl. Ice helped some.
Bleach or amonia DO NOT USE THEM TOGETHER can be applied to any sting. They break up the amino acid chain (protein) of the poison. The sooner it is applied the better to minamize the poison's chance to work. I have poured it on straight on fire ant bites, then rinsed it right off and the bitrs didn't even blister, or keep me up all night itching.
Lisa
I tried amonia on the asp sting, made it worse.
I never thought of trying bleach on the fire ant bites. We have a homeopathic cream called "Sting Stop" that really works on the fire ants.
I use ammonia in a bag to clean my stove grates/burners; that sounds like it would be painful. But then bleach on a raw spot does too!
I was delivering some newsletters on my street yesterday with my 5yo GN and he spotted something on someones front step. On closer inspection it was an asp! So I promptly killed it, and took the opportunity to tell him that they would sting really bad.
Cala-do you know what "sting Stop" has in it? I use amonia because we bought a tube of something to stop the itch of insect bites and the main ingredient was amonia. Sometimes the burning felling will get worse after application (thats what the dirctions say). I have never even heard of these now I know to look out for them. Thanks everybody.
Lisa
For the third time I'll try to reply!
Sting stop is amonia free. Works great on fire ant bites, but only so-so on all other bites.
I think the amonia and everything else I used on the asp sting made it worse because I didn't remove the stickers. I know now to use tape to remove them.
Oh, I forgot about the stingers I just hope I never have to deal with one of these things. I'll have to check out the Sting Stop, living in TX one can never have enough remedies for stings and bites.
I get really ill when I brush against one. WOW, so painful and then I feel like I have the flu, aches all over. Asps are awful. Depends how much you get on you. They leave an outline of the body. Welts up into a hard welt.
Ammonia helps fire ant bites for me. I have not tried bleach. Both can be watered down. I agree, NEVER put them together. You just need a dab. Meat tenderizer helps too.
The funny thing is that when you see asps, they are cute. Not like some spiky caterpillars. Furry and cute, but man what a sting....
This message was edited Nov 16, 2009 1:39 PM
Excellent photo. Looked like an owl. Get stung by one of those, you'll remember it the rest of your days.
Small wonder a child was taken to the ER. The resulting agony and screams from the pain is impressive. Still, wonder how much that dab of bleach cost? With my health care coverage, me and mine would have to bite the bullet.
lurker from florida just peeking in...i'll second, third and fourth the pain of a puss moth cat. i've always used white vinegar for fire ant stings....stops the sting instantly and no blistering. i keep a jug outside year round.
Great idea on the vinegar. We use it for jelly fish stings too.
These guys are very painful. I encounter them mainly in fall when I'm picking up leaves. I find them mostly around my water oak tree trunk. I avoid them like the plague!
Vinegar is soooo good for so many things..I too keep a 1/2 gallon of it in the garden section. It's great to get that hard to remove mold out of things.
