Saddleback sting a reminder to be cautious with caterpillars

After dealing with a variety of health issues, including heart disease and cancer, John Slother was excited to finally have a good day recently to spend in the garden.

“My favorite thing this time of year are homegrown tomatoes,” he said. “I went to pick a tomato, and my finger touched something on the bottom and it pricked me. I turned over the tomato to find a saddleback caterpillar.”

At first, Slother didn’t feel anything where the caterpillar stung him — it was subtle like a pin prick.

“Five minutes went by, and I felt nothing. I think adrenaline was still pumping. Then at the 10 minute mark came nausea like you wouldn’t believe. It was like someone gave me the flu instantly,” he said. “Being a heart patient, I was concerned. I told my kid, and he said I should get to the ER.”

When Slother arrived, his blood pressure was elevated, he was feverish and the nausea had gotten worse.

“Evangelical doctors didn’t know what to do at first. They had never seen someone who was bitten by a saddleback caterpillar before,” he said. “They gave me some Benadryl and nausea medication, but it still took a good five to six hours to start to feel better.”

Slother’s reaction was typical, according to Randy Drinkard, an entomologist with the University of Georgia.

“Contacting the hollow poisonous hairs or spines causes a burning sensation and inflammation that can be as painful as a bee sting,” he said. “The irritation can last for a day or two and may be accompanied by nausea during the first few hours.”

Proper identification is the first step to avoiding a sting.

“The saddleback measures about an inch long, and has poisonous spines on four large projections and many smaller ones projecting from the sides of its body,” said Drinkard. “The ‘saddle’ consists of an oval purplish-brown spot in the middle of a green patch on the back.”

Slother asked around after the incident, but has yet to find anyone who has seen a saddleback caterpillar in the Valley.

“Still, people should be careful. Obviously, these things are out there, and they can really cause some problems,” he said.