Wooly slug eating my bell pepper plants

Rockporter · July 15, 2013

This is a very dangerous slug, caterpillar in TX. I am glad I used my new handy tool to remove it off my plant. I found a clothespin lying on the ground and pulled off a black with red stripe down it's back caterpillar off my onion. I then discovered my bell peppers having a few lost leaves and none on the ground so I knew it was time to find the culprit.

I have never seen this kind of caterpillar before, be careful if you come into contact with one, you have to see a doctor for it.

https://insects.tamu.edu/fieldguide/cimg256.html

http://neuro.bcm.edu/eagleman/asp/

Worth1 · July 16, 2013

Seen them all my life I knew was an asp the minute I saw the picture.
You have probably looked right at them and never seen them.
They blend in on trees and such.
Worth

Darren Abbey · July 16, 2013

I knew what it was upon reading, "wooly slug". It is definitely one of the animals that one should be aware of.

livinonfaith · July 16, 2013

I believe they are also called Puss caterpillars. They live on Nandina (heavenly bamboo) in my area, and they have sent me to the hospital twice.

The first time, I was a girl and was playing with them. (They are deceptively cuddly looking creatures.) Shooting pain started on my finger and, with each heart beat, gradually moved up my arm. That time, the pain had begun to subside by the time we got to the hospital 35 minutes away.

The second time was a few years later. I picked up a branch in the yard and tossed it to the side. I never even saw the insect that "got" me, but the pain was exactly the same as the time before.

The second time, however, pain moved much faster. There was a small emergency room 5 minutes from my house and by the time we got there, it had moved into my chest and I was having trouble breathing.

A shot cleared it up quickly enough, but it was really scary.

Stay away from those little monsters!

shelleybean · July 16, 2013

Yuck! I have never seen one of these and I hope I never do! An icky creature with an equally icky name! Blech!!!

Worth1 · July 16, 2013

I think they look like Tribbles.

Worth1 · July 16, 2013

How about one of these?
The tussock moth caterpillar.
I see these from time to time.
The look like a dragon.

Rockporter · July 16, 2013

Wow, freaky stuff out there. When I first saw that thing it was inside the middle of the cage area and I thought it was some kind of fungus. When I grasped it with the clothes pin I was startled because it was a solid mass. When I pulled it out it looked like something I wanted to touch but thought better of it because I had never seen one before. Glad I didn't give in the cuddly thing and used the clothes pin instead.

Livinonfaith, I am sure glad to hear you came through both of those attacks. Scary to think I have never seen one and Worth tells me they are all over the trees in TX.

raindrops27 · July 25, 2013

Oh you all are brave, if I saw that my gardening season would be over. I really don't care for bugs as it is, but big fat furry poisonous bugs..

livinonfaith · July 25, 2013

Oh, the Puss caterpillers aren't scary in person at all! They are adorable, all brown and fuzzy and cute. You can't even see their heads or legs, just a little ridge of animated fur.

They almost beg to be petted, like little kittens. (the comparison to Tribbles is apt!)

That's how they get you!

tlintx · July 25, 2013

You know, I've been perfectly happy for YEARS not knowing about this.

http://benthebutterflyguy.blogspot.c...lar-in-us.html

Thanks for the warning -- I will be extra cautious with my toddler out there. I've already learned not to touch ANYTHING in Texas without 100% certainty what it is, but he's a newbie.

Rockporter · July 26, 2013

Yeah, I have found that the clothespin has come in very handy and is my #1 garden tool for picking any kind of worm off my plants.

luigiwu · July 26, 2013

Where do slugs come from????? I live in an urban area and have a very small patch of green at the back of the house. This is the first year I've tried to garden and omg, this last week, I have been finding (tiger?) slugs!! Where are they coming from??

FaithHopeLove · July 27, 2013

OMG how cute! Are they in FL too? I've never seen these here or in NY where I'm from. We do have caterpillar that sting, they're kinda prickly and come out in the fall here. I've been stung by them when I leaned on a fence and didn't see one and had whelts on me but nothing serious.

Rockporter · July 27, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by FaithHopeLove

OMG how cute! Are they in FL too? I've never seen these here or in NY where I'm from. We do have caterpillar that sting, they're kinda prickly and come out in the fall here. I've been stung by them when I leaned on a fence and didn't see one and had whelts on me but nothing serious.

The urge to pet that thing was overwhelming because it was so cute, glad I did not.

July 16, 2013	#5
shelleybean Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,648	Yuck! I have never seen one of these and I hope I never do! An icky creature with an equally icky name! Blech!!! __________________ Michele

July 16, 2013	#8
Rockporter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Texas Coastal Bend Posts: 3,205	Wow, freaky stuff out there. When I first saw that thing it was inside the middle of the cage area and I thought it was some kind of fungus. When I grasped it with the clothes pin I was startled because it was a solid mass. When I pulled it out it looked like something I wanted to touch but thought better of it because I had never seen one before. Glad I didn't give in the cuddly thing and used the clothes pin instead. Livinonfaith, I am sure glad to hear you came through both of those attacks. Scary to think I have never seen one and Worth tells me they are all over the trees in TX. __________________ In the spring at the end of the day you should smell like dirt ~Margaret Atwood~

July 26, 2013	#12
Rockporter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Texas Coastal Bend Posts: 3,205	Yeah, I have found that the clothespin has come in very handy and is my #1 garden tool for picking any kind of worm off my plants. __________________ In the spring at the end of the day you should smell like dirt ~Margaret Atwood~

July 15, 2013	#1
Rockporter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Texas Coastal Bend Posts: 3,205	Wooly slug eating my bell pepper plants This is a very dangerous slug, caterpillar in TX. I am glad I used my new handy tool to remove it off my plant. I found a clothespin lying on the ground and pulled off a black with red stripe down it's back caterpillar off my onion. I then discovered my bell peppers having a few lost leaves and none on the ground so I knew it was time to find the culprit. I have never seen this kind of caterpillar before, be careful if you come into contact with one, you have to see a doctor for it. https://insects.tamu.edu/fieldguide/cimg256.html http://neuro.bcm.edu/eagleman/asp/ __________________ In the spring at the end of the day you should smell like dirt ~Margaret Atwood~ Last edited by Rockporter; July 15, 2013 at 10:36 PM.

July 16, 2013	#2
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Seen them all my life I knew was an asp the minute I saw the picture. You have probably looked right at them and never seen them. They blend in on trees and such. Worth

July 16, 2013	#3
Darren Abbey Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Minnesota Posts: 586	I knew what it was upon reading, "wooly slug". It is definitely one of the animals that one should be aware of.

July 16, 2013	#4
livinonfaith Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina Posts: 1,332	I believe they are also called Puss caterpillars. They live on Nandina (heavenly bamboo) in my area, and they have sent me to the hospital twice. The first time, I was a girl and was playing with them. (They are deceptively cuddly looking creatures.) Shooting pain started on my finger and, with each heart beat, gradually moved up my arm. That time, the pain had begun to subside by the time we got to the hospital 35 minutes away. The second time was a few years later. I picked up a branch in the yard and tossed it to the side. I never even saw the insect that "got" me, but the pain was exactly the same as the time before. The second time, however, pain moved much faster. There was a small emergency room 5 minutes from my house and by the time we got there, it had moved into my chest and I was having trouble breathing. A shot cleared it up quickly enough, but it was really scary. Stay away from those little monsters!

July 25, 2013	#9
raindrops27 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: long island Posts: 327	Oh you all are brave, if I saw that my gardening season would be over. I really don't care for bugs as it is, but big fat furry poisonous bugs..

July 25, 2013	#11
tlintx Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: SeTx Posts: 881	You know, I've been perfectly happy for YEARS not knowing about this. http://benthebutterflyguy.blogspot.c...lar-in-us.html Thanks for the warning -- I will be extra cautious with my toddler out there. I've already learned not to touch ANYTHING in Texas without 100% certainty what it is, but he's a newbie.

July 26, 2013	#13
luigiwu Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: ny Posts: 1,219	Where do slugs come from????? I live in an urban area and have a very small patch of green at the back of the house. This is the first year I've tried to garden and omg, this last week, I have been finding (tiger?) slugs!! Where are they coming from??

July 27, 2013	#14
FaithHopeLove Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: Summerfield, FL Posts: 197	OMG how cute! Are they in FL too? I've never seen these here or in NY where I'm from. We do have caterpillar that sting, they're kinda prickly and come out in the fall here. I've been stung by them when I leaned on a fence and didn't see one and had whelts on me but nothing serious.