Are you fond of fluffy animals? Those with long furs, cuddly looks and cute sizes? In North America, there is this famous caterpillar called Puss Caterpillar (also known as asp, Italian asp, woolly slug, opossum bug, puss moth, tree asp, or asp caterpillar). They measure approximately 1 – 1.5 inches and found in trees or shrubs. Their color ranges from yellow to gray or red to brown.
If there’s a perfect expression for this caterpillar, that would be ‘cute but dangerous’. Despite the fluffy looking looks, they are venomous and may be lethal. The cat-resembling (the caterpillar actually looks like a mini Persian cat covered in fur, and that’s why it’s called ‘Puss’ Caterpillar.) fur of Puss Caterpillar contains venom that may cause erythematous (blood-red) rashes, severe pain (victims says the pain feels like your bones are broken or throbbing pain from a blunt force), shock, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, allergic reaction, worse, paralysis or death. Sadly, most victims of puss caterpillars are children unaware of what they can do.
If you’ve been prickled by a puss caterpillar, what you have to do is remove the spines using adhesive tape, apply cold compress to the area or baking soda for some comfort. The pain usually lasts for an hour or a day, but seeking professionals are the best.
