第 1049 號，共 1 402 號

Buck moth

Hemileuca maia

只是會痛不要碰會痛，但不會對你造成嚴重傷害。

會螫人的毛吃：植物

The buck moth is a common North American moth. Its caterpillars are covered in spines that can break off and sting people, so it is good to know what they look like. The caterpillars live on oak trees in eastern parts of the United States, and can also be found in cities.1

分布在

Eastern United States, from peninsular Florida to New England, and west to Texas and Kansas1

北美洲

首頁

Buck moths are most common in large oak forests. Because their forests are being cleared, they have moved into towns and cities, where live oaks are planted as street trees, such as Baton Rouge and New Orleans in Louisiana. People also meet them at places like the Goshen Scout Reservation in Virginia.1

長度

6,3 cm (2,5 in)1

最高速度

大約 0,03 km/h（0,02 mph）

在陸地上, 粗略估計

牠吃什麼？

Caterpillars feed on several kinds of oak, including scrub oak, live oak, blackjack oak, white oak and dwarf chinquapin oak. Adult moths have no mouthparts and cannot feed at all.1

Buck moth 的照片 — Buck moth。照片：Gerald J. Lenhard, Lousiana State Univ, Bugwood.org。 CC BY 3.0 us, Wikimedia Commons.

怎麼認出牠

Adult moths are dark grey to almost black, with a white band across each wing that has a distinctive eyespot on it.1
Adult females have an all-black body. Males are black except for a rusty red abdomen (the rear part of the body).1
Adults have black legs with small red cuffs near the top, where the leg joins the body.1
Young caterpillars are completely black. Older caterpillars become lighter, and some look almost white.1
Caterpillars are covered in spines. The spines on the top of the body are longer, more numerous and arranged in rows. Fully grown caterpillars reach about 2.5 inches (6.35 cm).1

毒液力量

會螫人的毛

細小的毛或刺毛會斷在皮膚裡，造成刺痛。

牠的毒液有什麼作用？

The spines of the caterpillar are hollow and attached to a poison sac, and small toxic glands along the sides of the body hold the venom. When the spines break off and get into the skin, they can cause stinging, itching and burning, with large red welts. In some people the reaction can lead to anaphylactic shock, a severe allergic reaction that needs urgent medical care. Nausea is also listed as a possible symptom.1

牠對人有多危險？

對人的危險: 疼痛可能會非常痛，但幾乎從來不會很嚴重。

An increasing number of people each season are stung by these caterpillars, and many of them see a doctor for dermatitis (swelling and inflammation of the skin). Stings are most common where caterpillars have moved into urban areas. Some people are at risk of a severe allergic reaction.1

牠害怕時會做什麼？

The caterpillars use their spines as a defence against predators and when they feel in danger. The spines can easily break off when the caterpillar is handled roughly or brushed against.1

如果你碰到牠的毛

被會螫人的毛毛蟲毛刺到時：用膠帶把毛黏起來，再清洗皮膚。不要搓揉。
被咬時：清洗並冷敷。如果傷者覺得不舒服或容易流血，要就醫。

一定要先打緊急電話（112、000、911）。這是一般急救指引，不是醫療建議。急救基本知識

注意安全

絕對不要碰、抓或捉弄野生動物，就算是很小的動物，就算牠看起來在睡覺或已經死了也一樣。
給牠空間。如果遇到了，保持冷靜，慢慢往後退，讓牠自己離開。
如果你碰到牠的毛：保持冷靜，保持不動，打緊急電話（112、000、911）或趕快去醫院。記住牠的樣子，有照片會很有幫助。

牠不是想來抓你。牠用毒液來捕捉食物或保護自己，而且牠更想躲起來。更多安全知識

在世界上的哪裡？

非洲亞洲歐洲北美洲南美洲澳洲與大洋洲

牠有多大？

牠有多長？

跟 2 塊玩具積木排成一排一樣長比花園蝸牛還慢

Buck moth 跟「你」比起來有多大？

只是在你的瀏覽器裡做算術。什麼都不會儲存，也不會傳送到任何地方。

牠有多快？

Buck moth 大約 0,03 km/h (0,02 mph)

一隻花園蝸牛 大約 0,05 km/h (0,03 mph)

一隻陸龜 大約 0,3 km/h (0,19 mph)

值得知道

小知識

Adult buck moths have no mouthparts, so they cannot eat. They live only long enough to find a mate and lay eggs.1

Newly hatched caterpillars march in a straight line, following one leader. If the leader is removed, the group becomes confused and restless until it either returns or the group chooses a new leader.1

Before they pupate, some buck moths can stay in the pupa stage for up to two years before emerging as adults.1

Females release a chemical scent, called a pheromone, to attract males. Males that fly erratically are responding to this scent.1

給毒液專家

學名: Hemileuca maia
類群: 毛毛蟲和其他蟲子
家人: Saturniidae2
排序: Lepidoptera
各大洲: 北美洲
寶寶: Females lay about 150 eggs per generation in a tight ring around an oak twig, and the eggs stay there through the winter until spring.1
牠在野外的狀況: Endangered in Connecticut for the narrower subspecies Hemileuca maia maia1
對人的危險: 2 / 5: 疼痛3