Saddleback caterpillar

Saddleback Caterpillar, Acharia stimulea The Saddleback Caterpillar is a colorful, poisonous caterpillar native to Eastern North America that can be found on many trees & ornamental plants. Scientifically known as Acharia stimulea, it is covered in spines attached to poison glands. When touched, the tip of the spine breaks off allowing poison to enter causing a very painful sting. I was inspired to research & write about these caterpillars after feeling the sharp stinging pain one gets by touching one of these colorful monsters! One morning while clearing out some ‘volunteer’ Obedient Plant flowers I was met with pain on my knee. While moving some unwanted plants from the garden to the wheelbarrow, one of the stalks brushed along my leg and bam! I was stung. Initially I figured I stepped on a bee nest and was being repaid in kind. But when I didn’t see any bee stuck in my leg of flying around, my eyes darted to the plant. And low and behold, I could see the orange spins sticking out behind a half-eaten leaf. I wondered what kind of pain trip I was in for, but when I saw the unmistakable form of the green/red and spikey skin – I immediately knew what species struck me. But, I did not know what I was in for, or what to do next. That being said, I’m going to tell you everything you NEED to know about the Saddleback Caterpillar. In this article: • • • • • • • • • • • Critical information about the Saddleback Caterpillar Common symptoms of Saddleback Caterpillar sting The most ...

( • Empretia stimulea Clemens, 1860 • Limacodes ephippiatus Harris, 1869 • Sibine ephippiatus Kirby, 1892 • Sibine stimulea The saddleback caterpillar ( Acharia stimulea, formerly Sibine stimulea) is the The larva (caterpillar) is primarily green with brown at both ends and a prominent white-ringed brown dot in the center which resembles a The larvae feed on a large variety of plants. In Adonidia merrillii). Description [ ] Acharia stimulea (formally known as Sibine stimulea) is a Acharia stimulea exhibits its characteristic lime-green coloring along the top of the body that contains its most identifiable feature,a dark marking at the center that is inclosed in a white and black that resembles a Acharia stimulea uses Acharia stimulea loses all of its vibrant coloring and develops velvety dark brown anterior wings and cream posterior wings. • Host Plants: Life cycle [ ] Stages of Eggs [ ] The mother Acharia stimulea will lay her Acharia stimulea eggs are flat and are a translucent lime green color when first laid by the mother. Larvae [ ] Throughout its life as a larva the saddleback caterpillar will go through a series of growths and molts. During the period between each molt the larva is regarded as an The first instar: Caterpillar larvae vary in size and are capable of being between 1.5-2.0mm in length. The middle instar: Occurs during the second to fourth molt and is the period in time where the larva begins to gain its characteristic markings. Here, the top of the body...

Description and Biology Skip to Description and Biology Saddleback caterpillars, Acharia stimulea, have a brown saddle-shaped spot on the middle of their green backs. They are called slug caterpillars because the abdominal legs lack tiny hooks that most other caterpillars have, and because the six jointed legs are so short. Saddleback caterpillars are one of the stinging caterpillars that bear urticating hairs on four prominent knobs at the front and rear as well as smaller knobs along the sides. These caterpillars are about 3/ 4 inch long when mature and spin tough silk cocoons in which they overwinter. Saddleback caterpillar moths are fuzzy and dark brown with some cinnamon spots and tiny white spots. These moths emerge from the cocoons the following spring and summer and lay 30 to 50 tiny, flat eggs that overlap like fish scales on the upper surface of leaves of various trees and shrubs. From the eggs hatch tiny, almost transparent caterpillars that already display yellow, spine-covered knobs around their bodies. Aside from tiny parasitic wasps that plague saddleback caterpillars, other mortality factors such as diseases and predators usually keep the numbers of these caterpillars low. Host Plants Skip to Host Plants Host Plants Saddleback caterpillars feed on a wide array of trees, shrubs, and crops where they do little harm except to the occasional person who accidentally brushes against one. They have been reported feeding on more than 40 plant families and numerous ...

Source(s): Randy Drinkard Over the past several weeks I have been contacted by several community gardeners who have discovered saddleback caterpillars by feeling their painful sting. I was stung by one years ago while harvesting okra. It literally knocked me to the ground. To avoid more gardening mishaps with these creatures I want to share this article written by Randy Drinkard. Stay safe out there gardeners! Most people know that bees, wasps, hornets and some ants can sting to defend themselves or their nests. Only a few people realize, usually from first hand experience, that handling some caterpillars can produce some painful results. Recognizing the few stinging caterpillar species, including the saddleback, may prevent irritating encounters. Saddleback Caterpillar Description The saddleback caterpillar measures about an inch long, and has poisonous spines on four large projections (tubercles) and many smaller ones projecting from the sides of its body. The “saddle” consists of an oval purplish-brown spot in the middle of a green patch on the back. The saddleback caterpillar is a general feeder and is generally found on many hosts including corn foliage, apple, pear, cherry, rose, Pawpaw, basswood, chestnut, oak, plum and other trees in late summer. Diagnosing and Treating Stings Diagnosis is usually simple since a rash generally breaks out where the hairs or spines have made skin contact. Contacting the hollow poisonous hairs or spines (connected to underlying poison...

Saddleback caterpillars are easy to recognize because they have brown legs, brown head, green flanks, and a green backside. In the middle of their back, there is a very noticeable brown oval shape which has a white border around it. This brown area in the middle resembles a saddle while the surrounding green color resembles a saddle blanket. That is why this caterpillar was given the name “Saddleback.” A saddleback caterpillar is around one inch in length. It has a fat wide body with lots of little spines and hairs on its protuberances, which are the protruding areas of the body near the front and back. These hairs are linked to the poison glands inside of the caterpillar. For this reason, if you were to touch a saddleback caterpillar with your open hand or fingers, it would cause the toxins from the hairs to transmit onto your skin. In addition, the sides of the body contain a series of stinging organs too. The Top 5 Symptoms If a saddleback caterpillar stings you or their poison gets onto your skin, you will feel symptoms from it rather quickly. Below are the top 5 symptoms of saddleback caterpillar stings. Nausea – If you feel sick or lightheaded from the saddleback caterpillar’s effects, then your body is probably having a highly adverse reaction to the poison. If your nausea doesn’t go away after a couple of hours, you should go to the doctor just to make sure there isn’t something more serious wrong. Itching – Most people will feel itching when the caterpillar’s toxi...

common name: saddleback caterpillar scientific name: Acharia stimulea (Clemens) (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Limacodidae) Acharia stimulea (Clemens) is a limacodid moth, or slug moth, best known for its larval growth phase. Distinct bright color patterns and the presence of venomous, urticating spines lead to its recognition as the saddleback caterpillar. It is native to a large range in the eastern United States and able to feed on a wide array of host plant species. This species can survive well in northern temperate areas and warmer southern climates. The saddleback caterpillar is encountered most frequently as a medically significant pest, and has minor effects in landscaping and agriculture. Figure 1. Mature larvae of the saddleback caterpillar, Acharia stimulea (Clemens). Photograph by Empretia stimulea Clemens Limacodes ephippiatus Harris Sibine stimulea (Clemens) Acharia stimulea (Clemens) (Dyar and Morton 1896) Acharia stimulea has a wide range in the eastern United States, occurring as far southward as Florida, northward to New York and Massachusetts, and westward to Texas, Indiana and Kansas (Snow 1875, Darlington 1952, Niesenbaum 1992, Landau and Prowell 1999, Heppner 2003, Covell 2005, Wagner 2005). Figure 2. State level distribution of Acharia stimulea (Clemens) in United States. Adults: Acharia stimulea adults are glossy dark brown in color with black shading. Dense scales are present on the body and wings, giving it a furry appearance. Wing span ranges from 26–43...

Packsaddle caterpillars are bright green with a brownish-purple spot in the middle of its back. The spines are filled with venom.Joey Williamson, ©2019 HGIC, Clemson University A packsaddle caterpillar, also known as a saddleback, is the larval stage of a limacodid or slug moth ( Acharia stimulea). This 1-inch long, bright green caterpillar has a brownish-purple spot in the middle of its back. It got its common name due to its similarity of saddle that is designed to hold or support loads on the backs of pack animals. Four large projections, called tubercules, are covered in numerous poisonous spines filled with venom. In addition, the caterpillar’s sides are covered with smaller spines that are also filled with venom. This caterpillar is native and has a wide range throughout the eastern United States. Commonly dining on the leaves of corn, okra, apples, roses, oaks, and other deciduous trees, packsaddle caterpillars are most prevalent in the late summer and early fall. When stung, the victim will experience intense, burning pain and possibly nausea that could last for several hours. A rash may develop and last for several days. If a person has a severe allergic reaction, the symptoms may be more intense and might require medical attention. The spines can break off in the skin. One suggestion is to immediately use adhesive tape to remove as many of the poisonous spines as possible. Wash the area thoroughly with soap and water. Applying an ice pack or a baking soda poultic...

The Saddleback Caterpillar is covered in short hairs that sting when touched, meant to deter predators from trying to eat it. These same hairs can sometimes leave a rash on a poking person, too. It is a member of the Slug Caterpillar Moth family and has suckers underneath the body in place of some legs. This allows it to defy gravity and walk along the underside of leaves and branches when feeding. This species is not a picky eater and feeds on a variety grasses, trees, and shrubs. This highly unusual caterpillar becomes a dark brown moth and less conspicuous as an adult. The when wings are opened flat, you can see that the moth has a small white spot on its forewings near its body, and two or three white spots near the tips of the wings. The summer season is its most active time of year.©InsectIdentification.org * MAP NOTES: The territorial heat map above showcases (in red) the states and territories of North America where the Saddleback Caterpillar Moth may be found (but is not limited to). This sort of data is useful when attempting to see concentrations of particular species across the continent as well as revealing possible migratory patterns over a species' given lifespan. Some insects are naturally confined by environment, weather, mating habits, food resources and the like while others see widespread expansion across most, or all, of North America. States/Territories shown above are a general indicator of areas inhabited by the Saddleback Caterpillar Moth. Insects ...

Caterpillar In the first instar, they come in translucent lime green shade with black or green tentacles. Along the edges, they also have green protuberances, sans the horns that appear in their later stages. Though green or white markings are on the top of their body, the saddleback pattern is yet to develop. During the middle instar phase, the upper part of their body attains an opaque green coloration with a black dot or saddle on the top surrounded by a white oval-shaped ring outlined in black. The green tentacles and protuberances turn orange by this time, also marked with elongated horns that can cause a stinging effect when one touches the caterpillar. Some species may even have two cream or light-green facial markings that look like two big eyes. In this period, they start eating plant tissues and grow to about .08 cm in length. The final instar gets more vibrant with a dark purple, orange or brown color in the front and back part of their body, and bright green on the top. The saddle and the thorns get more prominent by then, and they grow to 2 cm. Adult Moth Sexual Dimorphism:Present The females appear larger than the males. Color and Appearance Forewings: When opened, it appears dark brown with tiny white spots. When closed, the color remains the same though the white spots do not remain visible. Hindwings: When opened,it is pale brown or creamy with two or three spots at the tip. When closed, the color and pattern remain unchanged. Average Wingspan:2.6 – 4.3 cm...

The bizarre-looking caterpillar of the moth species Acharia stimulea is found across large swaths of North America, but if you see one don't touch it because it can deliver a powerful sting. The saddleback caterpillar can be identified by its characteristic markings—the body is brown on the front and rear ends, but the middle is green with a brown oval in the middle surrounded by a white outline. These markings resemble a lime-green saddle blanket on a brown saddle, hence the name. These caterpillars, which can reach just under an inch in length, are relatively common across their extensive native range, which stretches across the eastern half of North America as well as into Mexico. Saddlebacks can be seen feeding on a variety of plant species, although they often prefer to eat a shrub known as spicebush. While it may come as a surprise to some, the caterpillars of several moth species are capable of stinging. Some research has indicated that about 150 of the approximately 160,000 documented moth species are known to cause adverse reactions, including saddlebacks. These adverse reactions can occur after people come into direct contact with the venomous hairs or spines of the caterpillars, which act as a natural defense mechanism against predators. The spines of the saddleback, for example, can break off easily and become embedded in the skin of a person or animal while delivering a potent, toxic venom that can result in tissue damage. When the spines become embedded in th...