Io Moth Caterpillar

Today's "Critter Encounter" was with a Io Moth (Automeris io) caterpillar while I was mowing our lawn. It was easy to see this bright green "fuzzy" caterpillar crossing Joyce Road.



I didn't want this unusual looking caterpillar to get run over so I helped it out of the road for further examination and photos. I later found out this "fuzzy" caterpillar is covered with venomous sines and shouldn't be handled with bare hands. When the spines penetrate the skin, the tips break off and release the venom which causes an immediate painful nettling and itching reaction. Luckily my hands are tough as leather.



A close-up view of the Io moth caterpillar's spines shows the sharp, dark colored tips that can penetrate the skin, break off and release the venom.