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

Maziviro ayo
- 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
Simba reuturu
Mvere diki dzinodimbukira muganda dzichibaya.
Uturu hwayo hunoitei?
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
Ine ngozi yakadii kuvanhu?
Ngozi kuvanhu: InorwadzaInogona kurwadza chaizvo, asi kazhinji haisi njodzi huru.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
Mashoko akanaka: vanachiremba vane mushonga (antivenom) kana kurapwa kwechinhu ichi.1
Inoitei kana yatya?
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
Kana ukabata mvere dzayo
- 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
- Kune mvere dzemakonye anobaya: dzibvise nekamatepi kanonamira, wozogeza ganda. Usakwesha.
- Kana yakuruma: geza parumwa wotonhodza. Wana rubatsiro rwechiremba kana munhu asinganzwi zvakanaka kana achibuda ropa zviri nyore.
Gara uchitanga wafonera nhamba yechimbichimbi (112, 000, 911). Iri izano rakajairika rerubatsiro rwekutanga, kwete zano rechiremba. Zvakakosha zverubatsiro rwekutanga
Gara wakachengeteka
- Usambobata mhuka yesango, kuedza kuitora kana kuinetsa, kunyange iri diki, uye kunyange ichiita seyakarara kana yakafa.
- Ipa nzvimbo. Kana ukasangana nayo, dzikama, dzokera shure zvishoma nezvishoma uirege iende nenzira yayo.
- Kana ukabata mvere dzayo: dzikama, gara wakanyarara, fonera nhamba yechimbichimbi (112, 000, 911) kana kuti enda kuchipatara nokukurumidza. Rangarira kuti yaitaridzika sei, mufananidzo unobatsira.
Haisi kukutsvaga. Inoshandisa uturu hwayo kubata chikafu kana kuzvidzivirira, uye inotonyanya kuda kuhwanda. Zvimwe pamusoro pekugara wakachengeteka
Yakakura sei?
Yakareba zvakadii?
inenge kureba sechibatanidzo chemapepa
inononoka kupfuura hozhwa yemugadheniSaddleback caterpillar yakakura sei kana yaenzaniswa NEWE?
Masvomhu chete mubrowser yako. Hapana chinochengetwa kana kutumirwa kupi zvako.
Inomhanya zvakadii?
Chokwadi
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
Kwakabva chokwadi
- Saddleback caterpillar (Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0))
- Acharia stimulea (iNaturalist): mazita nekurongwa kwemhuka.
- Venom Wiki: danho rengozi, saizi yakajairika nekufungidzira kwekumhanya ndezvedu. Ona kuti tinozviwana sei: Matinoyera ngozi.
Chokwadi chimwe nechimwe pane peji rino chine nhamba inoratidza kwachakabva. Kana takakanganisa, ruregerero, tiri vanoda mhuka, kwete magazini yesainzi. Tiudze pa[email protected] tichazvigadzirisa.
Mvere dzinobaya