Watch out for these...

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Ampersand

Registered:1389979527
Posts: 728

Posted 1408487524	Reply with quote #1

I got stung by one of these yesterday. Saddleback caterpillar, one of those fun ones with venomous hairs. Felt like a mild bee sting that lingered. They hang out on leaf undersides so you don't see them. I had them last year on a PawPaw, yesterday on a pear. Counted 8. They moved on though and I'm leery of brushing against anything in that area! Attached Images 2014-08-19_18.31.13.jpg (94.36 KB, 167 views)

james

Registered:1189185103
Posts: 1,653

Posted 1408491254	Reply with quote #2

That thing is ugly!!! The remedy to the sting may be inside your tree. __________________ In containers - Littleton, CO (zone 5b) In ground - N.E of Austin, TX (zone 8b) 2016 Wish List: Dārk Pōrtuguese, Grānthāms Royāl, Lātarolla, Negrettā, Nōire de Bārbentāne, Rockāway Green, Viōlet Sepōr, Viōlette Dāuphine. Iranian figs are always welcome.

musillid

Registered:1327758167
Posts: 1,507

Posted 1408491367	Reply with quote #3

That is too cool. I'm sorry you got too close. I didn't know they ranged up here. __________________ Dale non compost mentis in Zone 6a

waynea

Registered:1362316304
Posts: 1,886

Posted 1408493293	Reply with quote #4

Been stung by two different saddlebacks, both stings hurt like h$@# and did last for awhile. I rate the pain about a 6.

GregMartin

Registered:1370378358
Posts: 550

Posted 1408493400	Reply with quote #5

Yikes Kelby...you be careful! __________________ zone 5 Maine Seeking: Saint Martin, Naples White, Black Tuscan, Bécane, French Alps, Abruzzi, Tenica, Wild Mountain Figs from the coldest corners (Iranian, Turkish or other...would love seeds too)

Ampersand

Registered:1389979527
Posts: 728

Posted 1408493910	Reply with quote #6

Quote: Originally Posted by waynea Been stung by two different saddlebacks, both stings hurt like h$@# and did last for awhile. I rate the pain about a 6. Yow, mine wasn't that bad, but I just brushed it.

COGardener

Registered:1357441505
Posts: 814

Posted 1408499313	Reply with quote #7

That is one awesome looking critter! We have nothing like that in Colorado that I've ever encountered.

mgginva

Registered:1320266925
Posts: 1,857

Posted 1408505949	Reply with quote #8

Kelby, So sorry you got tagged. I posted several times about these things last year when I found a bunch of them. I wish we had a way to organize this forum so anyone interested in possible "ouch" type bugs could look things up more easily. It seems every year I find out about some nasty thing I didn't know about before. But even though I post pictures and a warning it just moves down the page and onto page 2 then 3 , etc. What's even worse is the entomologists can't agree on what's responsible for what. Some will tell you there is only one venomous spider in Virginia, some 2 and some will tell you there are as many as a dozen. Accck - before we go any further -- all spiders are venomous. It comes down to whether they have the mouth parts to deliver venom and whether that venom reacts to each individual. Anyway I hope you don't get "it" again. mgg __________________ Michael in Virginia (zone 7a) Wish list: Perretta,

DesertDance

Registered:1247674606
Posts: 4,518

Posted 1408507004	Reply with quote #9

We have scorpions, tarantulas, rattlesnakes, but not that! OMG!! Suzi __________________ Zone 9b, Southern California. "First year they sleep, Second year they creep, Third year they leap!" Wish List: I wish all of you happy fig collecting! My wishes have been fulfilled!

Speedmaster

Registered:1404377112
Posts: 385

Posted 1408515443	Reply with quote #10

They look cool! We had slender wasps in the figs then now small yellow wasps play in the garden and eat anything moving, mantises are everywhere too... Ants are crazy, instead of pollinating my Jujube they eat the flowers and had discovered my white mulberries. __________________ Weather: Winter: 10C+ Summer: 42C+ Growing: Syrian Unk., Atreano, Egyptian Unk., Lebanese Unk., Col de dame Gris, Beall, Negronne, Ronde de bordeaux, Brogiotto Bianco Wish List: Panache.

RichinNJ

Registered:1374784282
Posts: 1,687

Posted 1408539404	Reply with quote #11

Yikes!

pino

Registered:1383190021
Posts: 2,118

Posted 1408550217	Reply with quote #12

That is the coolest looking caterpillar I have seen. Doesn't look like he moves too fast. Does it do much damage to the tree or is it just helping with the leaf thinning? Here is what it looks like as an adult. __________________ Pino, zone 6, Niagara, JCJ Acres Wish; Peace on earth and more figs Italian 258, Galicia Negra, Luv, trade suggestions welcome.

Ampersand

Registered:1389979527
Posts: 728

Posted 1408552395	Reply with quote #13

Quote: Originally Posted by pino That is the coolest looking caterpillar I have seen. Doesn't look like he moves too fast. Does it do much damage to the tree or is it just helping with the leaf thinning? Here is what it looks like as an adult. Not enough damage that I'm worried, I think they pupate quickly. The only caterpillars I kill are Gypsy Moth, Webworm, Tentworm, and cabbage worm.

pino

Registered:1383190021
Posts: 2,118

Posted 1408555596	Reply with quote #14

Gypsy moth and tent caterpillars do a lot of damage around here. This year I have seen a lot of webworm. I didn't know they were also bad. Too bad chickens won't eat these things (I have tried). Webworms seem all over my figs this year. They just keep crawling around and around the leaves but they don't seem to recognize the fig.. __________________ Pino, zone 6, Niagara, JCJ Acres Wish; Peace on earth and more figs Italian 258, Galicia Negra, Luv, trade suggestions welcome.

Dave

Registered:1312388324
Posts: 1,482

Posted 1408587516	Reply with quote #15

Quote: Originally Posted by DesertDance We have scorpions, tarantulas, rattlesnakes, but not that! OMG!! Suzi Suzi I like the way you wrote that,, I had to laugh I'd rather have that little inch worm rather than SCORPIONS, TARANTULAS, RATTLESNAKES, LOL __________________ Connecticut - Zone 6B Wish List - Bordissot negra rimada

pino

Registered:1383190021
Posts: 2,118

Posted 1409087398	Reply with quote #16

Kelby Looks around here we are blessed with gazillions of webworms. I thought they were supposed to eat decaying matter only and therefore relatively harmless. But I caught another one of the little fellows on my figs and I see a trail of droppings and it looks like they eat the edge of the fig leaves. __________________ Pino, zone 6, Niagara, JCJ Acres Wish; Peace on earth and more figs Italian 258, Galicia Negra, Luv, trade suggestions welcome.

Maro2Bear

Registered:1344284082
Posts: 732

Posted 1409088708	Reply with quote #17

Kelby, those are some horns on your saddlebacks! We had a bunch of these nasty things on some of our Hybrid Poplars last year and they had voracious appetites! Had to hunt them all down to keep them away from the tender fig tree leaves. Here's a few pix of a group of them that we pulled off then squished. Attached Images image.jpg (544.80 KB, 18 views) __________________ Mark B., Glenn Dale, MD Zone 7a

Ampersand

Registered:1389979527
Posts: 728

Posted 1409090333	Reply with quote #18

Suzi, I think your pests are much worse than this nuisance. They would eat mine, haha. It looks like a new brood hatched. Lots of new, little ones today. Shailesh can attest to this. As long as they stay on the pear tree they can live...

SoniSoni

Registered:1362273241
Posts: 777

Posted 1409092319	Reply with quote #19

I moved from So Cal to GA and I encountered a whole different eco system. The new critters are very amazing,, gorgeous Luna Moth is WOW __________________ Soni GA. 7-8. seeking Galicia Negra, Bianchi Guido, Violette de Sollies, Emerald Strawberry

Ampersand

Registered:1389979527
Posts: 728

Posted 1409225940	Reply with quote #20

I much prefer finding these, I was really starting to worry about the Monarchs! I counted at least 6 on this milkweed plant.

bullet08

Registered:1284496248
Posts: 6,920

Posted 1409227916	Reply with quote #21

last yr i was grilling out and enjoying some beer, and one of those hairy monster dropped on me.. and went inside of my shirt. i killed it, but in process, they darn thing decided to poke me all over with its hair thingy. i had massive hive all over for good 2 weeks. not fun. __________________ Pete Durham, NC Zone 7b "don't talk to me about naval tradition. It's nothing but rum, sodomy and the lash." - sir winston churchill "the problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money." - the baroness thatcher *** all my figs have FMV/FMD, in case you're wondering. * * and... i don't sell things. what little i have will be posted here in winter for first come first serve base to be shared. no, i'm not a socialist...***

ChillyNPhilly

Registered:1356891528
Posts: 365

Posted 1409240027	Reply with quote #22

This was a surprise. Attached Images IMG_20140828_103935.jpg (799.29 KB, 10 views) __________________ Donna Philadelphia Zone 7

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