A few years ago, I (DeAnna) learned the hard way not to touch caterpillars here.  While on recess duty this week, I noticed many little (1-2 cm long) caterpillars hanging under a tree from what looks like a strand of spider thread.  I also noticed the caterpillars swinging in the wind as the breeze blew.  One caterpillar blew onto my right arm.  I looked at it and then all the sudden had pain and itching where the caterpillar was on my arm.  That caterpillar quickly flew off my arm.  My arm swelled up, turned red and itched like crazy.  I slathered hydrocortisone cream on my arm and the symptoms slowly went away.

The reminder of the experience is a red place on my arm that looks like a burn.

I asked around and no one knows the name of these little creatures.  My advice is stay away from caterpillar hanging on spider threads under trees.

DeAnna 0 points; Caterpillars 2 points