Rusty Tussock Moth Caterpillar.
From the thumb, I thought “what the fuck why is it walking on someone’s arm”, then I realized it’s a cardboard tube.
The fuzzier the caterpillar the more scary!
I’ve got a few very fuzzy ones to post down the line.
Neat
It also has “stay away” colours, is the toxin relatively harmless to humans?
They have defensive glands at the back, and wipe their setae against them to charge them with toxins.[10]
Technically yes. It basically just makes your skin crazy itchy for a few days.
The real threat is that in North America, they’re an introduced species, and so have no natural predators. Big infestations can denude large chunks of forest.
I don’t know about this specific one, but in my encounter with its Asian cousin, both “crazy itchy” and “a few days” slightly undersold the experience.
I sat on one while wearing shorts. My thigh was burning for a few days, and the pain stayed for longer than a month.
Sounds like an euphemism
Rusty Tussock = didn’t wipe thoroughly
‘Oh, I can’t run, I’ve got a Rusty Tussock.’
This looks like a Vapourer moth, if it is then the moths are crazy. The female moths emerge from their cocoon without wings and preloaded with eggs. They have no mouth parts and last as long as it takes to have the eggs fertilised. They emit pharamones which attract the day flying moths.
What a neat dog!
