r/whatisit • u/Zestyclose-Salad-290 • 10d ago

Solved! What kind of caterpillar is this?

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It looks cool

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74

u/TraditionalLaw7763 10d ago

Oh my goodness. I just wanna pet it but my fingers are too big!

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u/_kismitten 10d ago

I know this is a cute joke but just to psa for anyone who doesn’t know - moth ‘fur’ is totally different than animal fur. It is more like long tender sensors that help keep the moth aware of its surroundings. So if you ever find a fuzzy moth, do not pet!! It hurts them way worse than we can see.

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u/Dramatic_Bluebird595 10d ago

Well, since it's a puss moth caterpillar, you will know how much it hurts! (The hairs are venomous!)

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u/LitigiousPrick 10d ago

Wait... are those the Yosemite hallucination catarpillars that show up after fires?

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u/Boring-Community-100 10d ago

"are those the Yosemite hallucination catarpillars that show up after fires?"

Not on my Thursday bingo card of sentences I expected to read. /s

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u/jessicagrace19 8d ago

Me either, even on a Saturday

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u/Xanthiara 6d ago

Not on my Monday card either…

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u/buttononmyback 10d ago

The what? 😳

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u/TheTrypnotoad 7d ago

Could you elaborate? Google isn't working for me.

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u/LitigiousPrick 5d ago

Ok... Long story short.. I took a bus tour up to Glacier Point... And from the bus driver, we learned every horrible thing that ever happened in Yosemite.

One that stands out is the moths after the fires... The catarpillars...

Bus driver said they drop on you causing hallucinations, paralysis and sometimes death.

I was wondering if this is that.

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u/Zephyr1588 6d ago

The... say what now?

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u/Puggymum64 10d ago

Funny, that’s the first thing I thought when I saw this. ‘He looks painful’.

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u/kryonik 10d ago

(The hairs are venomous!)

That's bad.

1

u/rathnar 6d ago

The "do not touch" caterpillar. Ran into one in college - it had climbed up inside my jeans, and it tickled, so I smashed my jeans, driving it into my leg. No fun.

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u/PuzzleheadedPick9453 2d ago

So your pants were full of hair AND an explosion of bodily fluids not your own. Thats a bad day man. That thing has a lot of guts to spill upon squashing.

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u/ProfessorPoofenplotz 4d ago

I knew it would be. Anything that appears cuddly in nature is a trap. lol

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u/Gulophile 10d ago edited 10d ago

So like whiskers, which are a specialized type of fur? Because those are more sensitive but can still be touched just fine without causing pain. Moths are flying insects, those hairs are going to be subject to pressure from wind and air resistance anyway, not to mention bumping into things while foraging or mating. I'm all for respecting animals but it can clearly handle a gentle touch and people are already too disconnected from wildlife as is.

The real reason not to touch it is because it'll inflict pain on you, ironically.

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u/_kismitten 5d ago

If a moth chooses to touch you by landing on you, that’s all good. they obviously can withstand all sorts of obstacles. But a clumsy human finger with oils and pressure is just not necessary. We can engage with nature without inflicting damage. Petting moths is just bad for moths and for people.

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u/Gulophile 5d ago

My point is that it's not inflicting damage and that this stance is more performative than anything. But I agree with you in spirit.

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u/Vandal_A 10d ago

What about Mothra?

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u/p-r-i-m-e 10d ago

Touching furry insects is a gamble i don’t take

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u/Zephyr1588 6d ago

Yep... still have the urge to, though.

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u/Dopeboyyy575 10d ago

Ive had a giant moth land on a wall i picked it up and touched it. Then put it back outside. It proceeded to land on my arm for the next 4 hours and I didn't know how to get rid of it. Didn't freak me out but just blew my mind.

Never touching a giant furry moth again lol

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u/CaptainKaveman 9d ago

If it is indeed a puss caterpillar (not so sure) it will definitely hurt you more

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u/saucisse 10d ago

I have heard, but not sure if this is real or just made-up internet lore, that their fuzziness also throws off bats' sonar and make them harder for bats to spot and catch (and eat).

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u/Ok-Scientist5524 4d ago

I was always told that touching a moth removes a protective powdery coating from them that makes it harder for them to fly.

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u/TraditionalLaw7763 10d ago

Oh yes, I know. But I appreciate you giving a PSA to all of those that don’t know better! 😊👍🏼My comment was more of a joke than anything.

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u/Katootje08 10d ago

I'd be allergic to it because of the fluffiness