Spot a tiny fuzzy caterpillar crawling across an oak leaf and your first instinct might be to take a closer look—or even pick it up. With its thick coat of silky hair, the puss caterpillar can look more like a miniature toupee than an insect capable of delivering an intensely painful sting. Hidden underneath that harmless-looking exterior, however, are venomous spines that can turn a moment of curiosity into hours of burning pain. Gardeners, children, and anyone doing fall yard cleanup can encounter these caterpillars without realizing what they’re touching. Learning to recognize a puss caterpillar sting risk before reaching into shrubs or fallen leaves is much easier than learning about it afterward.
