CATERPILLAR AND MOTH BITES

Course overview

“LEPIDOPTERISM” REFERS TO VARIOUS SKIN & SYSTEMIC REACTIONS SECONDARY TO CONTACT WITH MOTH AND BUTTERFLY LARVAE OR CATERPILLARS (ORDER LEPIDOPTERA). IT IS WORTH NOTING THAT THE ADULT FORMS OF MOTHS AND BUTTERFLIES DO NOT STING. “ERUCISM,” TAKEN FROM THE LATIN DERIVATION “ERUCA” (CATERPILLAR) REFERS TO THE CUTANEOUS REACTIONS ONLY. OF THE NEARLY 165000 SPECIES, ONLY ABOUT 150 ARE CLINICALLY SIGNIFICANT. IN THE UNITED STATES, THERE ARE OVER 50 SPECIES WITH THE ABILITY TO INFLICT A PAINFUL STING. THE MOST DANGEROUS IS THE PUSS CATERPILLAR, ALSO KNOWN AS ASP CATERPILLAR (MEGALOPYGE OPERCULARIS), WHICH IS THE LARVAE OF THE FLANNEL MOTH, FOUND IN THE SOUTHEAST OF NORTH AMERICA. THESE ARE MOST PLENTIFUL IN LATE SPRING THROUGH EARLY FALL. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS CATERPILLAR BITES AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THEIR MANAGEMENT.