Did ya know that these caterpillars have a bit of a sting to them ?? I do now
I wonder what they turn into, once they are done caterpillaring.

Yes ! One of those fell from a tree back east as I was horse riding many years ago. Just the momentum of it falling on my arm was like a scorpion sting.

Bad crawly nasties. Short and stubby, but just pure meanness. I would treat the sting like any kind of sting.

I pulled the hairs out like cactus spikes, then drank some rum to disinfect the site internally. This one did not turn into a butterfly. Though it was pretty flat looking a little time after it stung me

Saddle back Caterpillar I believe.

Find them regularly when mowing, usually left arm when brushing against sassafras. think i would rather get stung by bee.

The Buck Moth caterpillar is another one.
Step on one bare footed, you'll be hatin' life for a spell.

Quite a few times now I have found out the hard way that I really A: not a real land lubber and B: not native to these lands or I would recognize the things that bite and sting more readily. I have weed whacked poison ivy in shorts, had run ins with bold faced hornets and yellow jackets, been attacked by ticked off water snakes , stung by sting rays, stood in flip flops in a army of fire ants and the list goes on. One day I hope to reach the end of this sometimes painful list and know to avoid the things that mean no good. If one is as dumb as I am, it helps to be tough.

Michael, just think of these as above water reef nasties .

You know the bad crawly nasties that are not touched in the reefs...well you've pretty much already experienced the bulk of the above water reef nasties !

You just need to watch where your hands and feet go , in the same cautions. Spiders in holes, woodpiles, old buildings...scorpions and centipedes like cool dark places...those same areas snakes are found too. There's something unique, I think they are there, called Red Velvet Ants.

And no, that is not a brand of Bourbon...

They look like an ant with a furry velvet red body. Large ones. They are a hornet that likes to bore into walls and ground. I think you'll see only one at a time. But man can they stang.

It always amazes me that people's animals don't get into far more trouble with all those varmints more often than I hear about.

Never reach into things you can't see into, and always tap your shoes on the floor before putting them on.

Whatever you do , don't relocate to Australia.

Everything there wants to kill you.

Them Aussies are some tough buggars.

I found a red velvet ant once. I already knew about their ability to sting so I stepped on it. It was not fazed one bit! The ground was not exactly soft, but those things are tough. I picked it up carefully to check out the stinger. It nearly got me. They are flexible as all get out and that stinger comes out 3/4" and goes in and out like a sewing machine in all directions at once it seems. I found me some hardtop to squarsh it good. Man, did it make a crunch.

Had one of those run across my drive way today. Went to the garage and grabbed the carb cleaner and lets just say when I finally stopped spraying him, my brother said you were making sure he was dead. Then he ground him up with his boot to finish him off for sure.

crazy lookin' thing

Never saw one before- Saddleback Caterpillar Moth is what it turns into

No wonder it stings, ain't got nothing to look forward to, lol.

^^^