Stinging Caterpillars

Hi! Today when I was skyping with you all I got stung by a caterpillar in my nose! Everyone here thinks that is mighty funny!

The caterpillar at the bottom left is a saturnidae.

The one at the top left is a saddleback. It is the one I showed you today that had pupated overnight. It is also the one that stung me, even afte it had spun a cocoon!

The caterpillar in the very top center is a Io moth. It is the same one that you might see on the Lunesta commerical (but that is its adult form). The caterpillar to the right is an oak slug.

All four caterpillars are stinging caterpillars.

Look at them. Can you decide what might make them stinging caterpillars?

Try making a three ring venn diagram comparing and contrasting these caterpillars. A great level 4 opportunity would be to make a venn diagram comparing and contrasting these caterpillars to non-stinging ones!