It's Raining Buck Moth Caterpillars

The weather has been picture perfect for the past few days and has proven to be excellent days to get outside and enjoy the great outdoors.  Tricia learned, painfully, that it is very important to wear shoes when going outside.  You see, there are caterpillars EVERYWHERE right now, falling from the live oak trees and landing on every surface imaginable.  One was on the doormat and Tricia stepped on it unknowingly.  Moments later she felt a stinging on the bottom of her toe and then a burning, pain. She looked around and saw the flattened caterpillar on the welcome mat and identified the perpetrator - a guest that is not welcome on our welcome mat.  Ironic!

A quick google image search identified the suspect further as the Buck Moth Caterpillar.  They are very common around areas with live oak trees.  According to the link above, their spines are hollow and filled with poison.  That poison is released if you touch the caterpillar or step on it.  Each year around this time, they come out and cover every square foot of landscape.

Just walking around (with boots on) yesterday, they were everywhere and not just on welcome mats and live oak trees.  They were on the Bradford Pear:

On our Bradford Pear

Camouflaged on the bark of the live oak tree that holds up the swing:

On a Live Oak Tree

And showing that it is an equal opportunity offender, was on the water oak tree as well:

On a Water Oak Tree

While we were walking around, we came upon a buck moth caterpillar convention. Several dozen were gathered closely together and in an act of revenge or retribution, I asked Tricia for the sandal she was wearing.  With one solid slap to the caterpillar convention, I exacted punishment.  As green and yellow ooze dripped from the bark, Tricia holstered her sandal and we walked away.  A dog barked in the distance...

A caterpillar convention

To be honest, I had never seen a buck moth, but here he is in all his glory:

Image Credit

She lays her eggs in the canopy of live oak trees in December and when the eggs hatch, the caterpillars make their way to the ground where they pupate.  We've got our eyes opened for these guys and make every opportunity to step on them and make them pop - with shoes on, of course!