Aside from hurricanes, Floridians are now facing another threat, as a tiny little caterpillar roaming around their backyards could cause excruciating pain. Puss caterpillars are the most venomous caterpillars in the Sunshine State, but they look like a tuft of cat hair. Residents are being warned not to pick them up or handle them in any way if they spot one in their yard. Bri Oteri remembers when she was stung by a puss caterpillar while attending her son’s sports practice. “Morphine didn’t even touch the pain,” she said. “All of a sudden I couldn’t breathe and I thought I was going to pass out. Then came the pain in my chest, in my entire right arm, radiating from my wrist, all throughout my shoulder. The pain was so excruciating.” Despite the fact the little insect looks fluffy and harmless, their fur-like bodies are covered in stiff hairs that when injected into the body fill with poison, which causes the victim to feel extreme levels of pain. The creatures are very hard to spot as they’re typically only 1.2 to 1.4 centimeters long. Doctors warn that intense pain, swelling, restlessness, nausea, vomiting, fever, muscle cramps, swollen glands, and shock symptoms are signs of a puss caterpillar sting. If you come in contact with one, remove the broken-off spines by using tape or a commercial face peel and seek medical attention at once.
