For those looking to breed beautiful mourning cloak butterflies, it is important to know that their caterpillars have stinging hair. Let’s learn more about it and what to do if you get stung.
Nymphalis antiopa, or mourning cloak, is a large butterfly found in North America. These beautiful butterflies live for almost ten months, more than most others.
The larval stages of mourning cloak butterflies are known as spiny caterpillars. These caterpillars are known for their spiny body. When these spines come in contact with human skin, they can cause pain, severe infection, blistering, and other problems.
So, it’s better to avoid touching these fuzzy caterpillars. In this article, we will talk more about these caterpillars.
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What Does the Mourning Cloak Caterpillar Look Like?
Mourning cloak caterpillars are 2 inches long (on average) and have a very striking appearance.
These caterpillars have black bodies, with reddish-orange dots found in every segment of their body.
Their entire body is covered with hair and black-colored spines with white dots on them.
It’s common to see a dozen large spiky caterpillars in one place because the butterflies lay their eggs in a bunch, and they all hatch together.
Is This Caterpillar Poisonous?
Yes, it is a poisonous bug. The Spiny Elm caterpillar (as it is otherwise known) is a stinging caterpillar that has urticating spines on its body.
Some of these hairs or spines can get attached to your skin when you touch this caterpillar.
These spines release a small amount of toxin inside your body, which can cause irritation, redness, swelling, and in some cases, an allergic reaction.
If you have weak immunity or are sick, the reaction might be severe and may need immediate medical attention.
So, mourning cloak caterpillars are poisonous, and you must avoid touching their venomous spines as much as possible.
Is It Dangerous To Humans?
Yes, the spiny caterpillar can sting humans, which can be a bit dangerous if the person is allergic to insect stings.
We are listing below some of the symptoms which you may face after exposure to the venomous spines of the mourning cloak caterpillar:
- Redness in skin
- Itching
- Skin irritation
- Blisters
- Welts
- Headache
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Shortness of breath
- Allergy
- Difficulty in eating
- Pain
- Burning
If you touch the eyes or nose after touching this stinging caterpillar, then symptoms like coughing, nose bleed, sneezing, and mouth pain can also happen.
You need to remove the hairs immediately from your body after touching the caterpillar’s venomous spines. Use a small tweezer to extract the spine and throw it away afterward.
The symptoms may continue for a few minutes or up to a few days. If it continues for more than one day, you need to visit your doctor.
Does It Bite?
The mourning cloak caterpillars may be poisonous, but they don’t have powerful biting mouthparts. So they will not bite you.
These caterpillars have mandibles that they use to eat leaves and plant parts, but these mandibles cannot cause much of a dent in human skin.
How To Treat The Symptoms of Exposure to Urticating Spines?
If a person has a mild reaction after touching the venomous caterpillar’s hair, the treatment can be done at home.
You need to follow the below steps for doing home treatment at home.
- Remove the tiny hairs of the mount cloak caterpillar immediately. You can do this by using tape.
- You can place a tape strip on the area of your body that is exposed to caterpillar hairs.
- Pull the tape to remove all the hair.
- Wash the area gently with soap and water.
- If that area still itches, then you can put a paste of baking soda and water over it. But if it will not work, then apply hydrocortisone cream over the area.
- If you have blisters in that area, then contact your doctor immediately.
What Other Damage Does It Do?
Newly born mourning cloak caterpillars eat the leaves of trees like willows, cottonwood, and elms. They even feed on flowers like knapweed and scabiosa, which can cause significant damage to your yard.
The adult mourning cloak drinks the nectar of plants like red maple and milkweed. They even eat decaying fruits in your garden and consume tree sap.
Some signs of mourning cloak caterpillar damage are rolling leaves, holes on leaves, eggs, and excreta. They might even bore into the wood, which can cause a lot of damage to the tree.
Other Poisonous Caterpillars
#1. Giant Silk Worm Caterpillar
There are various species of giant silkworm caterpillars, but two species, the Buck moth and Io moth, have poisonous spines.
Buck moth Caterpillar
The buck moth caterpillar is brown to purple-black with various yellow spots. The entire body of this caterpillar is covered with black-colored spines.
You will commonly find them in oak or willow trees and mainly from spring to summer season in a year.
Io Moth Caterpillar
The Io moth caterpillar is usually light green or yellow. You will find a red line on both sides of these species. These caterpillars eat plants like corn, oak, apple, and roses.
#2. Flannel Moth Caterpillar
There are various Flannel moth caterpillars, but the most common ones with stinging hairs are the puss moth caterpillar and black wave flannel moth caterpillar.
Puss Moth Caterpillar
A Puss caterpillar is a one-inch caterpillar covered with long soft brown hair throughout the body. But
venomous spines are found just below these long hairs, which can cause irritation and blisters on your body at a slight touch.
Black Wave Flannel Moth Caterpillar
The sting of the black wave flannel moth caterpillar is not as dangerous as a puss caterpillar.
These caterpillars usually feed on hardwood plants, which you commonly see in the summer.
Frequently Asked Questions
#1. Are mourning cloaks rare?
Mourning cloaks are not rare. They are found in many places across Asia, North America, and Europe. They are rare in Britain, where they are also known as Camberwell beauty.
The behavior of these beautiful butterflies is quite interesting. When the weather gets cold, they hide in rocks and holes in trees, overwintering as adults.
But during the summer months, they come out and fly again in search of food.
#2. Are mourning cloaks endangered?
No, it is not an endangered species.
Mourning cloaks are quite common in the United States. But it is rarely seen in some parts of the World like Britain and the Gulf states.
These butterflies are quite beautiful. They feed on the nectar of the flowers of their host plants, including wild roses, black willow, and others.
#3. How long does a mourning cloak butterfly?
They live for almost ten months, more than other butterfly species. It is a large, distinctive butterfly with wings extending up to 3 to 3.5 inches.
When they close their wings, their body looks like they are wearing mourning cloak, which is the reason behind their name.
#4. Why are they called mourning cloaks?
The mourning cloak butterfly’s colors resemble that of a traditional cloak or loose garment worn by people who have lost their loved ones.
Wrap Up
Mourning cloak butterflies are a sight to behold in the summer and spring seasons. However, those looking to breed them should be aware that the caterpillars have stinging hair.
We have discussed the steps to follow if these caterpillars’ hairs come in contact with your skin. However, the best policy is to wear gloves when handling them.
We thank you for reading this article!
