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Florida woman hospitalized from tussock caterpillars: 'Stay away'
"All I could do was just scream." Nicole Herndon said she felt as if every inch of her body was on fire after she came into contact with a tussock caterpillar at her Mims home. Now, Herndon is cautioning people to stay aware and stay away from the caterpillars.
MIMS, Fla. - A local woman is sounding the alarm on how dangerous the fuzzy tussock Caterpillars really are. She was hospitalized after coming into contact with one and says the pain is excruciating.
While severe reactions are rare, doctors say people should still avoid the small bug.
What are tussock caterpillars?
Dig deeper:
The tussock caterpillar is the larval stage of a tussock moth. They are recognizable by their distinct, thick tufts of hair. While they are a common sight in Florida during the spring, they’re currently swarming homes and parks. In Mims, homeowner Nicole Herndon says her house is covered in them.
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"There’s probably about 12 more that are alive and clinging on my screen right now," Herndon said.
By late May, the caterpillars will begin to disappear as they transition into their moth stage, but until then, they remain a significant local nuisance.
Horrible reaction from tussock caterpillar
For most people, a brush with a tussock caterpillar results in a mild itch and possibly some welts. For Herndon, it was a medical emergency. After coming into contact with one of the insects, Herndon ended up hospitalized for nearly three days.
"It felt like every single inch of my body was on fire, and all I could just was just scream," Herndon said. "My skin was just itching and burning to the point where I was scratching myself raw."
She says the reaction intensified in about 20 minutes after she brushed the caterpillar. "As soon as I touched the little coils on its back, it was over."
Why are tussock caterpillars dangerous?
The danger isn't in a bite or from a stinger but in the caterpillar's defensive coating. Underneath that "thick rug of hair" are tiny spines. When these spines pierce human skin, they cause irritation or allergic reaction, much the same way that fiberglass or poison ivy cause a reaction.
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While Nicole’s extreme reaction is rare, doctors say the physical structure of the hair is designed to cause a reaction in anything that touches it.
"Yeah, they’re cool looking, but you might want to stay away from them," Herndon warned.
What to do if you touch a tussock caterpillar?
What you can do:
If you or a loved one accidentally makes contact with a tussock caterpillar, the goal is to remove the irritant as quickly as possible without spreading the toxins.
Dr. Dana Mathew, a physician with Health First, says the biggest mistake people make is trying to rub the area.
"The important thing is to get rid of the hairs," Dr. Mathew said. "You do not touch or rub them; you will spread it and make it worse. You use a strong tape such as duct tape and you use that to pull out the hairs."
Steps for Treatment:
- Do Not Rub: Rubbing pushes the poisonous spines deeper into the skin.
- The Tape Method: Place a piece of strong tape (like duct tape or packing tape) over the affected area and pull it off to lift the hairs out.
- Wash Thoroughly: Once the hairs are removed, wash the area with soap and water.
- Monitor: Watch for signs of an allergic reaction or worsening rash.
- Emergency: If you ever get the irritant in your eye, seek immediate emergency care.
The Source: FOX 35 Reporter Esther Bower saw a post on social media about the caterpillars and reached out for more information. She interviewed the victim via zoom and also went to her home on 4/8. She also spoke with a local doctor on zoom about the dangers.