Subject: What’s this leaf like bug?
Location: Steubenville, ohio
September 2, 2014 6:58 pm
I live in eastern Ohio and found this on a friends car. It has a worm like belly but looks like a fluffy leaf.. Never seen anything like this before!
Signature: Geno
Hi Geno,
This is a Monkey Slug, the caterpillar of a Hag Moth. Handle with care. Monkey Slugs can give a nasty sting.
Daniel, there are some clues that states that Phobetron stings are a legend.
I have a report of a woman handling it ith no effects and I found a discussion on Bugguide:
http://bugguide.net/node/view/840586/bgimage
Phobetron also appears in some of our literature as dangerous, do you have any case or know about it?
Hi Cesar,
Thanks for pointing out this possibility. I cannot recall getting any actual reports of people being stung. Perhaps the reputation of the Monkey Slug originates because of other stinging members in the family.
i live in Paris, KY and came home today and found one on my front porch. Which lead me to this website,