The Fuzzy Wuzzy Caterpillar

Saturday Connor found a fuzzy yellow caterpillar, that looked pretty harmless, so we let him pick it up. Really super bad idea. Connor now has hives on his hand (like thirty!), the front and back of one leg, his stomach, his butt, and several on each arm. The caterpillar ended up being an American Dagger Moth Caterpillar and its hairs are like fiber glass. They are microscopic and stick in your skin while releasing a toxin. We went to the doctor today and she recommended applying cortizone and using Zyrtec to reduce the swelling and itching, which we were already doing. I'm not sure how long the hives will last, but we are supposed to be watching to make sure Connor doesn't develop a fever as that would be the first sign that the poison was overtaking his body. I think he will be fine in a few days, but we sure learned our lesson when it comes to caterpillars! So be warned, if you ever see a fuzzy yellow caterpillar with black lashes, do not pick it up! It may look cute and fuzzy, but it is not nice.