x
Breaking News
More () »

Caterpillar sends 2-year old to the hospital

An encounter with a tiny caterpillar sends a 2-year old girl in Portsmouth, Virginia to the emergency room in excruciating pain. It happened when she was playin...
caterpillar attack

An encounter with a tiny caterpillar sends a 2-year old girl in Portsmouth, Virginia to the emergency room in excruciating pain. It happened when she was playing in her backyard.

Chloe Hicks was sitting on the deck with her mom when her hand slightly touched a Puss Caterpillar. She began screaming and a rash formed on her arm, going all the way to her shoulder.

Caterpillar sends 2-year old to the hospital

Doctors say touching this type of caterpillar feels like a sting from a wasp or a bee that can last about 20 or 30 minutes. The redness and swelling can spread up the arm and victims can feel nauseous.

“If you touch their fur, or their spines and hair, you can actually get the little barbs stuck in your skin and that pressure on that gland will release a little bit of the venom,” says Dr. Elenor Kurtz with Bon Secours Internal Medicine.

Puss Caterpillars make their home in trees and can be found along the East Coast, from New Jersey to Florida. The doctor says if you see one., simply steer clear.

Before You Leave, Check This Out