Southern Flannel Moth (Megalopyge opercularis)

            Found this unusual caterpillar yesterday on a Rhodendron in my back yard. (This shot is of his behind.) At first I thought it was a piece of something that had fallen out of a tree, so I nudged it just a little.....As I turned to walk away, it started crawling and I started shooting! Imagine my surprise when I got an id later in the day and read that it is considered a "dangerous insect" Fortunately I had no reaction to touching it.  For reference, the picture is shows the behind.

"The caterpillar is regarded as a dangerous insect because of its venomous spines. Exposure to the caterpillar's fur-like spines leads to an immediate skin irritation characterized by a "grid-like hemorrhagic papular eruption with severe radiating pain." Victims describe the pain as similar to a broken bone or blunt-force trauma,  or even white hot."

Taken on: September 15, 2021

Tags:

caterpillars

moths

Flannel Moth, Megalopyge, puss moth, asp caterpillar, Italian asp, wooly slug, opossum bug more »

tree asp

macro

macro dreams

Southern Flannel Moth

Megalopyge opercularis « less

Sets appears in: • Caterpillars & Moths - Macro

Groups appears in: • Caterpillars • Insect Macro Photography

Camera: Canon EOS 7D Mark II, f/10.0, 1/250 sec, 100mm, ISO 3200 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon EOS 7D Mark II
Lens:	Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM
Aperture:	f/10.0
Exposure Time:	0.004 sec (1/250)
Focal Length:	100mm
ISO:	3200
Exposure Bias:	-1 EV
Flash:	On, Fired
Exposure Program:	Aperture-priority AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Spot
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic 10.4 (Macintosh)
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