Milkweed Tussock Caterpillar - Euchaetes egle

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comments (3)

Ferdy Christant

Lion

Wow that is one amazing caterpillar. Careful, usually the fluffier, the more dangerous. Posted 10 years ago
1. morpheme
  
  Lion
  
  Fortunately we don't seem to have any deadly caterpillars here in the US- though the fuzzy ones, even ones that have no venom, can still cause rash and pain just because of the hairs. The worst one we have is called the "puss caterpillar" - it won't kill you, but it can cause excruciating pain lasting up to 12 hours - ouch! As far as I can tell these guys can be poisonous because of what they eat, but they don't sting. Posted 10 years ago, modified 10 years ago
2. 1. Ferdy Christant
    
    Lion
    
    This is the deadliest I've ever seen:
    
    I believe it is actually the deadliest in the world, to humans at least. Posted 10 years ago

The Milkweed Tussock Moth

"Euchaetes egle" is a moth in the family Arctiidae. It is a common mid- through late-summer feeder on milkweeds and dogbane. Like most species in this family, it has chemical defenses it acquires from its host plants, in this case, cardiac glycosides. These are retained in adults and deter bats, and presumably other predators, from feeding on them. Adults indicate their unpalatability with clicks from their tymbal organs.

Info 26 0

Similar species: Moths And Butterflies

Species identified by J M Belanzaran