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The flannel moth caterpillar is furry, brightly colored, & venomous

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This is a flannel moth caterpillar, or Megalopyge opercularis, walking on a tree in the Ucayali Amazon basin, north of Pucallpa in Peru. The video, filmed by Ollie Boon, showcases the caterpillar’s cute and furry looking exterior, but be warned that there are venomous spines hiding within the fluff. Avoid contact to avoid “severe radiating pain” and possible “burning, swelling, nausea, headache, abdominal distress, rashes, blisters, and sometimes chest pain, numbness, or difficulty breathing.”

flannel moth caterpillar
The adult moth is also furry, with “colors ranging from dull orange to lemon yellow, with hairy legs and fuzzy black feet”.

Megalopyge_opercularisPCCP20040714-5799B
Watch more caterpillar videos.

h/t The Scientist.

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