Lewis
You asked about the what the sting was like in the caterpillar...Austins remark may help with that.
Also, for most people, the sting produced by most species, while sometimes painful, is generally minor, mild, and short-lived but, in some cases, evidence of contact may remain visible on the skin for a few days. However, the severity of sting or other reaction depends degree of contact and susceptibility of the individual. Allergy sufferers and individuals with sensitive skin should regard stinging caterpillars with caution.
While it was not mentioned here that crowned slugs are beneficial, they are not pests. Many insects are in the middle. They have their place in Nature and tho we do not always know what that is...they are here for a reason. There are so many insects that when research is done...it is usually on the biggest pests or those beneficials that control the big pests :-)
Yea it definately stings!! by: Austin
found one of these attached to my arm. Dont know how it got to be there must have fallen off a overhanging tree. Anyways i was greeted by a very sharp sting like feeling i brushed it off picked it up with a leaf and went inside. The skin that was in contact is now nice and swollen i got cream on it else it would be very itchy! not my fav bug ive found here for sure!
Thank you by: Lewis Turner
Since this caterpillar can sting, what kind of pain/infection would one expect to encounter if stung? And, what activity does the Crowned Slug do that makes it beneficial? I've definitely seen the crowned slug many times.
Crowned Slug by: Moni
Lewis
Great job from your cousin...this is the caterpillar of the crowned slug which is a moth.
Here are some photos of the moth and other stages.
http://bugguide.net/node/view/25201/bgimage
Larvae are found feeding on oak, but also eat foliage of many other trees including cherry, maple, basswood, elm and beech. The early stages form a zigzag pattern on the undersides of the leaves. They feed on the undersides so not to be seen by predators.
Caution - This larva is a stinging caterpillar... so it is good you did not handle it. This caterpillar is in the same family (Limacodidae) as the saddleback and hag moth caterpillars that also have stinging hairs. The caterpillars and moths of this family are really very interesting in shape and color!
It would be best to put it out on one of the food trees listed. It overwinters as a larva in a loose cocoon ...so it is time for that to happen. It then pupates and emerges as the moth in summer.
This insect is found over the eastern half of North America in woodland areas.
Mystery Solved! by: Lewis Turner
One of my cousins in Arizona solved the mystery of this 'bug." It's the caterpillar of the Crowned Slug Moth.
