Being Stung Really Smarts (Get it? Anyone?)

A few days ago, I found this guy outside on a plant.

It's called a Smartweed Caterpillar (also known as a Smeared Dagger Moth Caterpillar), and it's known for having quite the nasty sting to it. It's not the only stinging Caterpillar, but it is one of the more common. They'll eat strawberry, grasses, corn, clover, and Smartweed (duh).

FEAR ME.

I found one on our strawberry plants last year. Note that these caterpillars are variable in color: the one I found this year was black with yellow stripes, while the one on the strawberry was red with yellow spots.

Thankfully I didn't get stung either time. It's not that I knew what kind of caterpillar they were. Instead, there are certain steps to taking an educated guess as to whether or not the caterpillar is poisonous.

1. AVOID ANYTHING THAT'S YELLOW, RED OR BOTH. These are warning colors for most animals. Ones that are both yellow and red have a better chance of being poisonous.
2. AVOID ANYTHING WITH SPINES. Spines are often how caterpillars deliver poison. Hairs can also cause irritation.
3. AVOID ANY BIZARRE CATERPILLARS. By bizarre, I mean any caterpillars with bright colors or strange body shapes. These are often poisonous too.

Avoid this like the plague.