Saddleback caterpillar
The saddleback caterpillar is the larva of a moth found in eastern North America and Mexico. It is green with a brown saddle-shaped marking on its back, and its spiny hairs can cause a painful rash. Gardeners who handle plants where it lives are most at risk of contact.1

Sɛdeɛ wobɛhunu no
- Primarily lime-green, with brown at both ends.1
- A dark brown centre marking, outlined in white and black, that looks like a saddle.1
- A pair of fleshy horns, called tentacles, at each end of the body, which are orange or black as the caterpillar grows.1
- Tufts of spines along the body, with a row of orange spines along the sides.1
- Some larvae have a false face at the rear, with two pale dots that look like large eyes.1
Bɔre ahoɔden
Nwi nketewa bubu hyɛ honam mu na ɛwɔ.
Ne bɔre yɛ dɛn?
The hairs and spines contain an irritating venom that is released when they touch skin or are broken. Contact causes a painful, swollen rash and sometimes nausea. Severe reactions are possible and can include migraines, breathing trouble related to asthma, anaphylactic shock (a dangerous allergic reaction) and bleeding. Symptoms can last from a few hours to a few days, depending on how sensitive a person is.1
Ne asiane ma nnipa te sɛn?
Asiane ma nnipa: Ɛyɛ yawƐtumi yɛ yaw paa, nanso ɛkame ayɛ sɛ ɛnyɛ asiane kɛseɛ da.This caterpillar has one of the strongest stings of its kind. Gardeners are most at risk because the caterpillar is common on ornamental plants. Symptoms vary from mild to severe, and the sensitivity of the person affected makes a difference.1
Asɛmpa: dɔkotafoɔ wɔ aduro (antivenom) anaa ayaresa ma yei.1
Ɛyɛ dɛn bere a ehu aka no?
When threatened, the larva curls outwards so its spines are hard for a predator to avoid, and its bright colours warn of its toxicity.1
Sɛ wode wo nsa ka ne nwi a
- Remove the spines from the skin immediately using adhesive tape over the affected area, with a new piece of tape for each treatment, to stop the venom spreading. Ice packs, corticosteroids and antihistamines (taken orally or applied to the skin) have been reported to help relieve pain. Symptoms are relieved with prescribed medication on a case-by-case basis.1
- Caterpillar nwi a ɛwɔ: fa sticky tape yi firi so, na afei hohoro honam no. Ntwitwi.
- Ka ho: hohoro na dwo. Hwehwɛ dɔkota mmoa sɛ onipa no ho ntɔ no anaa mogya tu no ntɛm a.
Di kan frɛ wo ahohiahia nɔma (112, 000, 911). Yei yɛ mmoa a ɛdi kan ho akwankyerɛ, ɛnyɛ dɔkota afotuo. Mmoa a ɛdi kan ho nsɛm titiriw
Hwɛ wo ho so
- Mfa wo nsa nka wiram aboa biara, nkyere no na mfa no nni agorɔ, sɛ ɔyɛ ketewa mpo, na sɛ ɛte sɛ ɔrededa anaa wawu mpo a.
- Ma no kwan. Sɛ wohyia baako a, ma wo bo nnwo, san w'akyi brɛoo na ma ɔnkɔ ne kwan.
- Sɛ wode wo nsa ka ne nwi a: ma wo bo nnwo, tena dinn, frɛ wo ahohiahia nɔma (112, 000, 911) anaa kɔ ayaresabea ntɛm. Kae sɛdeɛ na ɛte, mfonini bɛboa.
Ɛnhwehwɛ wo sɛ ɛbɛpira wo. Ɛde ne bɔre kyere aduane anaa ɛbɔ ne ho ban, na ɛpɛ sɛ ɛhinta sene biribiara. Nsɛm pii fa ahobammɔ ho
Wiase mu baabi bɛn?
Ne kɛseɛ te sɛn?
Ne tenten te sɛn?
ne tenten bɛyɛ sɛ paper clip
ɛyɛ brɛoo sen nwa a ɔte turomSaddleback caterpillar kɛseɛ te sɛn sɛ wode toto WO ho a?
Akontabuo kɛkɛ wɔ wo browser mu. Wɔnkora hwee, na wɔmfa hwee nkɔ baabiara.
Ne ntɛm te sɛn?
Nsɛm
The false face on the rear end is thought to confuse predators, which may attack the wrong end.1
Its cocoon is made of silk mixed with its stinging spines, which protect the pupa during metamorphosis.1
Braconid wasps often lay their eggs inside these caterpillars, and the wasp larvae feed from the inside and later emerge through holes in the body.1
Like other slug caterpillars, it moves on suckers and mucus, which help it roll and stick to surfaces.1
The adult moth has no sting and lives about 10 days on average.1
The adult moth loses the caterpillar's bright colours and has velvety dark brown forewings and cream hindwings.1
Baabi a nsɛm no fi
- Saddleback caterpillar (Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0))
- Acharia stimulea (iNaturalist): din ne nkyekyɛmu.
- Venom Wiki: asiane gyinabea, kɛseɛ a ɛtaa yɛ ne ntɛm susuo no yɛ yɛn ankasa deɛ. Hwɛ sɛdeɛ yɛbu no: Sɛdeɛ yɛkyerɛ asiane gyinabea.
Nsɛm biara a ɛwɔ kratafa yi so wɔ nɔma a ɛkyerɛ ne fibea. Sɛ yɛfom biribi a, kafra, yɛyɛ mmoa ho akɔnnɔfoɔ, ɛnyɛ nyansahu nwoma. Ka kyerɛ yɛn wɔ [email protected] na yɛbɛsiesie.
Nwi a ɛwɔ