So this little fellow will leave a mark! What species is this?, what does it become? Of late here in my yard, there's a good hatch of them around; I laid my arm on one by accident going up a ladder and you can see the results. Still sore a day latter!
I wonder if it might be an early instar of the Hickory Tussock Moth caterpillar.
http://bugguide.net/node/view/5690/bgimage
Some (maybe all) Tussock larvae can cause rashes. I am just learning bugs, so another can tell you for sure. :)
Look like fall webworm (Hyphantria cunea) caterpillars - http://ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/fall-webworm
Caterpillars of this species can vary considerably in appearance...
The sting/burn was instantaneous and as bad or worse than say, a red wasp. I get stung it seems a good number or times in the summer by various insects; this is a first.
Wow! I did not know the webworm could sting.
I did a search on this because I had never heard that either.
I found this...
http://enpp.auburn.edu/outreach/web-publications/stinging-caterpillars/
The Hyphantria cunea specifically was listed as a non-stinger. There were some tent caterpillars listed above that do sting.
I found this link at a discussion on bug guide of someone saying he was stung by a fall webworm. Sadly, he never followed up with any images, so it's an unanswered question.
http://bugguide.net/node/view/138409
Regardless, I hope you heal soon.
Well, now I have to think; did I see this caterpillar coming down the ladder, and yet laid my arm on something else? a puss caterpillar perhaps? although I've not seen one of those in my yard for years much less on my ladder!
