CLOSED: Black spiky caterpillar on Astilbe flower stem

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montanadolphin Columbia, VA(Zone 6b) May 19, 2013

I'm in central Virginia, zone 6b. Is this caterpillar good or bad? What kind is it? Thanks!

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Flapdoodle Minot, ND May 19, 2013

Its a caterpillar of a butterfly in the family Nymphalidae, perhaps a comma or question mark; not a serious pest...

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montanadolphin Columbia, VA(Zone 6b) May 19, 2013

Will the spikes hurt you if you handle it? I have two young boys who love picking up EVERYTHING that moves...I don't want them stung

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Flapdoodle Minot, ND May 19, 2013

I'm having second thoughts on this one, and I really would like to see a top view of this caterpillar, as there is a good possibility that it also could be a buck moth caterpillar - see http://www.flickr.com/photos/43585695@N00/5920203491/ for an image. In that case, you would not want to pick it up, as its spines can sting (the spines on nymphalid caterpillars are harmless).

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themoonhowl Prairieville, LA(Zone 9a) May 21, 2013

MD....it looks very much like the buck moth caterpillar to me....and absolutely do not let the boys touch it....a few years ago i was in the garden and noticed a weed in one of the beds...reached down and grabbed it to pull out...and thought I had grabbed a live electric wire...yelled so loud my DH came running outside. It seemed forever before the pain went away (felt like I was being bee stung repeatedly) and afterwards for a couple days I had what looked like a series of small bruises where it got me.

First thing if you get stung...use tape to remove the almost invisible spines as they continue to inject venom. Some say use ammonia to reduce the venom effect, others say a paste of baking soda and water...I say watch out for the beggars so you don't get stung....I have a fairly high threshold for pain, but this devil made me sick at my stomach and I cried it hurt so badly.

Moon