are there really caterpillar's that we need to be weary of? or is this just a myth?

Question

i askin because my litle 3yr old daughter loves collecting bugs in the garden. her favourite is catapillars, but a friend told me i should'nt let her pick the up as some of them are poisanoius. is this true

Answer 1

Yes it is true. Believe it or not, some caterpillars are posionous.

I have listed a very helpful website or at least i hope it is of help to you.

Answer 2

Caterpillars that live in the open have different ways to protect themselves. One of them is the bright color. The ones who do not know that in nature it means “WARNING! DON’T EAT ME” are usually punished for every touch. Others have hairs that get stuck in the skin and cause irratation

Many caterpillars secrete a poisonous liquid, which birds and other animals feeding on caterpillars are well familiar with. It can cause eye-, skin- and mucous-membrane inflammation even to human beings.

I suggest your daugter stays away from brightly coloured or hairy caterpillars. Unfortunatly though, as she is three i am guessing those are the ones that will be most intriguing.

Good luck

Answer 3

Hairy caterpillars irritate the skin, just like stinging nettles do. They're not exactly poisonous but you should definately teach your child never to put anything in their mouth or eat anything from the garden. Lots of other things in the garden are poisonous or irritate the skin.
Give her a small plastic scoop or something to pick them up with if you're concerned.

Answer 4

Since I don't know where you live, I can't give you a specific answer, but many of the hairy caterpillars can be irritating to the skin and some quite dangerous. In Asia, one type, a cousin of the red lacewing butterfly is especially dangerous. In Hong Kong I had a patient (a policeman) who was standing under a banyan tree and one of the furry caterpillars fell on his neck. He smacked it thinking it to be a fly. We just saved his life using adrenaline and CPR....discourage caterpillars...crickets and grasshoppers and lizards are safer.

Answer 5

Many species of birds and animals consider caterpillars as protein rich food, and caterpillars have evolved various defenses. These methods can be either passive, aggressive, or both. Some caterpillars have large false eyes towards the rear of their abdomen. This is an attempt to convince predators that their back is actually their front, giving them an opportunity to escape to the 'rear' when attacked. Others have a body coloration that closely resembles their food plant.

More aggressive self-defence measures are taken by the spitfires and hairy caterpillars. These caterpillars have spiny bristles or long fine hairs that will irritate anything that brushes against them, or spit acidic digestive juices at potential enemies. However, some birds, like cuckoos, will swallow the hairiest of caterpillars.

The most aggressive defenses are those of the many caterpillars that have bristles associated with venom glands, called urticating hairs, and some of these are among the most potent defensive chemicals in any animals; e.g., the defensive chemical produced by the South American silk moth genus Lonomia is an anticoagulant of such potency that it can kill a human, causing them to hemorrhage to death (see Lonomiasis; [1]) This chemical is being investigated for potential medical applications (i.e., to prevent blood clotting).

Some caterpillars eat the leaves of plants that are toxic to other animals. They are unaffected by the poison themselves, but it builds up in their system, making them highly toxic to anything that eats one of them. These toxic species, such as the Cinnabar moth (Tyria jacobaeae) caterpillars, are brightly striped or coloured in red and yellow - the danger colours (see aposematism).

The aim of all these aggressive defense measures is to assure that any predator that eats (or tries to eat) one of them will avoid future attempts.

Some caterpillars obtain protection by associating themselves with ants. The Lycaenid butterflies are particularly well known. Recent findings have shown that they communicate with their ant protectors by means of vibrations as well as chemical means.

Answer 6

Absolutely! Mostly th etoxins are found in the hairs so always be more wary or the hairy colourful ones. Its a defensive evolution they developed. Not as if they can run away or fight now is it.
Camaflage or poison,that their options.
Can cause skin rashes or locallised swelling but usually nothing more.

Answer 7

How can such a horrible little creature turn into the beatiful butterflies and moths. Dont stop your daughter being interested in the wonders of nature.

Answer 8

Yes.

Most are safe. Some are edible, Some are very poisonous. Your 3 year old is not in a position to know which is which.

Answer 9

Yes there are some caterpillar's that are poisonous.

Just make sure she WASHES her hands GOOD with Soap & Water after shes done doing what she is doing.

MAKE sure she don't put her hands in her mouth!

Answer 10

Maybe the myth is really a moth, so keep your daughter away from bright lights.