Don’t Touch These Poisonous Caterpillars You Can Find In New York

Caterpillars can be really cool to see, especially if it's one that you've never seen before. But if you see one of these in your garden or in the leaves while you're raking this fall, don't touch it!

It's not uncommon to see a strange-looking caterpillar in your yard. We have a lot of them in New York. Normally, though, it's what we always called a wooly bear or a tent caterpillar. While those ones won't hurt you, there are some that will actually sting you if you touch them.

Don't touch these caterpillars if you see them

While scrolling through Facebook, I saw this post from Hamburg, NY, warning people about a yellow caterpillar with black stripes on it. It's called an American Dagger Moth Caterpillar. We do have them here in New York State, and yes, it's actually poisonous.

Now, when I say its poisonous I don't mean that it will jump from trees and try to sting you. It won't attack you while you sleep. However, the black bristles on its back could actually break off in your skin if you touch it, much like the barbs on a porcupine, and they can embed themselves there. Then the toxins will go into your body from the embedded bristles.

What will happen if they sting you?

The sting will burn. You could see redness, swelling, or hives in the area where you made contact with it. You could also see a rash that could last for a few days after contact.

If you do accidentally touch one, you could try dabbing tape (like duct tape) on the area to pull any leftover bristles out. Then be sure to wash with soap and water and put a cool compress on the area to reduce any swelling.