Driving home the other day, I feel something on my right arm. I look over to see what it was and notice a caterpillar, but not just any caterpillar, an American Dagger Catepillar (the little fuzzy hairs on them are toxic and can/will detach and stick in you). For some reason I thought I could brush it off my right arm and out the driver side window. Of course that didn’t work and it landed on my leg (I was wearing jeans). I don’t think I’ve ever pulled over that fast. I waited a second or two for some cars to pass, hopped off and brushed it off my leg, meaning it’s now been on my arm and I’ve touched it with (the back of) both my hands.
Hopefully any reactions that it can cause happen soon after since I haven’t noticed anything in the 36 hours or so since it happened, but for the rest of the day I was very careful not to touch any other part of my body, specifically my face or eyes. I’m assuming it’s about the same as getting a bunch of fiberglass in your skin.
To make matters worse, when I was little, a leaf fell on my head, when I brushed it off, it stung me (it was a bee). Ever since that, nearly 30 years ago, I still have hard time brushing unknown things off my head for fear that they’re bees. For the rest of that day, every time I felt something on my, I was worried it was another one.
And, FYI, I know all they do is cause an allergic rash, in some people. I’m well aware that I wasn’t going to die.
Of course, a few hours later I (as a pedestrian) nearly got hit by a car, but that’s another story.
I’m glad I recognized it for what it was. IIRC, I saw a picture on facebook and knew right away what it was.
Here’s the picture of it that I took after I knocked it off my leg.
PS, toxic or not, I’m really not keen on any bug that large crawling down my arm, especially while I’m driving.
