Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
 

Register · Log In
HomeGuideID RequestRecentFrassForumsDonateHelp
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar
Upcoming Events

Registration is open for the 2024 BugGuide gathering in Idaho July 24-27

Moth submissions from National Moth Week 2023

Photos of insects and people from the 2022 BugGuide gathering in New Mexico, July 20-24

Photos of insects and people from the Spring 2021 gathering in Louisiana, April 28-May 2

Photos of insects and people from the 2019 gathering in Louisiana, July 25-27

Photos of insects and people from the 2018 gathering in Virginia, July 27-29


Previous events
TaxonomyBrowseInfoImagesLinksBooksData
Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) » Flannel, Slug Caterpillar, Leaf Skeletonizer Moths and kin (Zygaenoidea) » Flannel Moths (Megalopygidae) » Megalopyge » Southern Flannel Moth - Hodges#4647 (Megalopyge opercularis)
Photo#337298
Little Puff of Fluff - with a pretty big sting - Megalopyge opercularis
Copyright © 2009 John Hartgerink

Little Puff of Fluff - with a pretty big sting - Megalopyge opercularis
Baton Rouge - BREC Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center, East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, USA
September 26, 2009
Size: 3/4 inch
A visitor found this small caterpillar on a handrail.
Found it by setting her arm on it.
Said she got a strong sting and a pretty large red patch on her arm.

John

Images of this individual: tag all
Little Puff of Fluff - with a pretty big sting - Megalopyge opercularis Little Puff of Fluff - with a pretty big sting - Megalopyge opercularis
tag · login or register to post comments
Contributed by John Hartgerink on 26 September, 2009 - 6:21pm
Last updated 2 October, 2009 - 11:10am

Moved
Moved from Megalopyge. The Southern Flannel Moth caterpillar has a nice tuft extending out of the back of the caterpillar demonstrated in this specimen.
… John Carlson, 2 October, 2009 - 11:10am login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… Abigail Parker, 26 September, 2009 - 9:47pm login or register to post comments

Flannel moth caterpillar
Looks like genus Megalopyge. They're sometimes called "puss caterpillars." All flannel moth caterpillars have urticating (stinging) hairs, and even the shed skins and cocoons shouldn't be handled.

… Abigail Parker, 26 September, 2009 - 8:33pm login or register to post comments

Comment viewing options
Select your preferred way to display the comments and click 'Save settings' to activate your changes.

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2024 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by:

Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology at Iowa State University logo

Printer Friendly Version 		Terms of Use
Privacy Statement
Site Map
Contact