Move over murder hornets: Venomous caterpillars reportedly spotted in Virginia

Published October 8, 2020 9:16pm ET



Virginia might have avoided sightings of murder hornets, large hornets spotted for the first time across parts of the United States that rip honeybees apart, but the state is now telling Virginians to be on the lookout for “one of the most venomous caterpillars in the U.S.”

The toupee-like insect is a puss caterpillar, the larval stage of the southern flannel moth. The moth is most commonly found in the South, from Arkansas to Texas, but has been found as far north as New Jersey, according to the University of Florida.

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