Puss caterpillar
Pŕhlivé chĺpkyThe puss caterpillar is a furry caterpillar that grows into a moth. It lives in the southern and eastern United States, Mexico and parts of Central and South America. Its hairs contain venomous spines that can cause a very painful skin reaction, so it is important to recognise it and leave it alone.1

Ako ho spoznať
- The larva is about one inch (2.5 cm) long and covered in long, hair-like fur.1
- Its fur can be grey-white, golden brown or dark charcoal grey.1
- It often has a bright orange streak running along its body.1
- In the early stage, the body tapers to a tail that extends well beyond the body.1
- The adult moth has long fur in colours from dull orange to lemon yellow, with hairy legs and fuzzy black feet.1
Často sa zamieňa s: Its relative M. crispata is mentioned as different because its tail does not extend well beyond the body, unlike the puss caterpillar's. The middle stage of the puss caterpillar has no distinct tail at all.1
Sila jedu
Malinké chĺpky alebo štetinky sa odlomia v koži a pália.
Čo robí jeho jed?
The caterpillar's fur contains venomous spines. Contact causes an immediate skin reaction with a grid-like rash and severe radiating pain. Victims often describe the pain as like a broken bone, blunt-force trauma or white hot. The pain can spread up a limb and cause burning, swelling, nausea, headache, stomach pain, rashes, blisters, and sometimes chest pain, numbness or difficulty breathing.1
Aké nebezpečné je pre ľudí?
Nebezpečenstvo pre ľudí: BolestivéMôže to poriadne bolieť, ale skoro nikdy to nie je vážne.The caterpillar is regarded as a dangerous insect because of its venomous spines. Reactions are sometimes limited to the sting site but are often very severe. The sting causes a condition called urticarial dermatitis or erucism, and M. opercularis is the most commonly reported source of this in the United States.1
Ak sa dotkneš jeho chĺpkov
- The venom is best treated within hours of first contact. Any spines still in the skin should be removed with cellophane tape. Remedies reported to have varying degrees of success include ice packs, oral antihistamine, baking soda, hydrocortisone cream, juice from comfrey stems and calamine lotion.1
- Pri pŕhlivých chĺpkoch húseníc: odstráň ich lepiacou páskou a potom umy kožu. Nešúchaj.
- Pri uhryznutí: umy a schlaď. Vyhľadaj lekársku pomoc, ak sa postihnutý cíti zle alebo ľahko krváca.
Vždy najprv zavolaj na tiesňovú linku (112, 000, 911). Toto sú všeobecné rady prvej pomoci, nie lekárska rada. Základy prvej pomoci
Buď v bezpečí
- Nikdy sa nedotýkaj divého zvieraťa, nechytaj ho ani ho nedráždi, aj keď je malé a aj keď vyzerá, že spí alebo je mŕtve.
- Nechaj mu priestor. Ak nejaké stretneš, zostaň pokojný, pomaly cúvni a nechaj ho ísť svojou cestou.
- Ak sa dotkneš jeho chĺpkov: zostaň pokojný, nehýb sa, zavolaj na tiesňovú linku (112, 000, 911) alebo sa rýchlo dostaň do nemocnice. Zapamätaj si, ako vyzeralo, fotka pomôže.
Nejde po tebe. Jed používa na chytanie potravy alebo na obranu a oveľa radšej sa schová. Viac o tom, ako zostať v bezpečí
Aké je veľké?
Aké je dlhé?
asi tak dlhé ako kancelárska spinka
pomalšie ako záhradný slimákAký veľký je Puss caterpillar v porovnaní s TEBOU?
Iba matematika v tvojom prehliadači. Nič sa neukladá ani nikam neposiela.
Aké je rýchle?
Fakty
Victims often say the pain feels like a broken bone, or even white hot.1
The name "puss" probably comes from the caterpillar's fur, which looks like a tiny Persian cat.1
Its spines can cause a condition called urticarial dermatitis, also known as erucism.1
Early-stage larvae can have very curly fur that looks cottony and puffed up.1
Late larvae can spend the whole winter inside their cocoon before emerging in spring.1
Pre znalcov jedov
- Vedecký názov
- Megalopyge opercularis
- Skupina
- Húsenice a hmyz
- Rodina
- Megalopygidae2
- Rad
- Lepidoptera
- Kontinenty
- Severná Amerika
- Mláďatá
- The caterpillar has two broods a year, one in summer and one in autumn. Late larvae may stay in their cocoon all winter and emerge as adults in late spring.1
- Nebezpečenstvo pre ľudí
- 2 / 5: Bolestivé3
Odkiaľ sú fakty
- Megalopyge opercularis (Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0))
- Megalopyge opercularis (iNaturalist): mená a klasifikácia.
- Venom Wiki: úroveň nebezpečenstva, typická veľkosť a odhad rýchlosti sú naše vlastné. Pozri, ako ich určujeme: Ako hodnotíme nebezpečenstvo.
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