Florida teen hospitalized after being stung by a venomous CATERPILLAR

A Florida teenager had to be rushed to the emergency room after he was stung by a poisonous caterpillar.

Logan Pergola, of Land O’Lakes, was doing volunteer landscaping with his family on Saturday when he suddenly felt a sharp pain. When he looked down, a large, red grid-like mark had appeared on his wrist.

Within five minutes, the 15-year-old’s arm went numb and he complained of feeling dizzy and of a burning pain.

‘It kind of felt like someone was drilling into my bone and wouldn’t stop. It was horrible,’ he told NBC26. 

A large, red grid-like mark appeared on his forearm by his wrist (left). Within five minutes, the 15-year-old’s arm went numb and he complained of feeling dizzy and of a burning pain. Research revealed he had been stung by a puss caterpillar (right)

Logan’s mother, Andrea, washed his wrist in the sink and even tried an herbal remedy, putting garlic on the mark.

However, Logan felt himself getting weaker, unable to focus his eyes and said the pain was getting worse. 

After some quick research, Andrea figured out her son had been stung by what is commonly referred to as a puss caterpillar or an asp caterpillar, which are found in oak and citrus trees.

According to the University of Florida, the puss caterpillar is the first stage in the life cycle of the Southern flannel moth.

Its sting ‘produces an immediate intense burning pain followed [by] the appearance of a red grid-like pattern on the skin that matches the pattern of the venomous spines on the caterpillar.’ 

Reactions are often very severe, causing burning, swelling, nausea, rashes and occasionally numbness or difficulty breathing.

‘We found out that this particular caterpillar has poisonous hair on it and also has venomous glands,’ Andrea told WFLA.

‘And, since it appeared to be an adult, we knew the poison would be even stronger. We knew we had to get him to the emergency room.’

They found the caterpillar on the tree branch Logan had been clearing and dropped it into a plastic baggie and then rushed Logan to Florida Hospital in Zephyrhillis.

By the time he arrived at the hospital, a rash had spread up his arm and to his chest. 

Doctors immediately confirmed that the sting came from a puss caterpillar and began administering treatment through an IV, including a high dose of Benadryl, prednisone (an anti-inflammatory drug) and anti-nausea medication. 

A puss caterpillar has venomous spines and its sting ‘produces an immediate intense burning pain followed [by] the appearance of a red grid-like pattern’. Logan’s family put the insect in a plastic bag (left and right) and rushed him to the emergency room

Doctors administered treatment through an IV, including a high dose of Benadryl, prednisone (an anti-inflammatory drug) and anti-nausea medication. Pictured: Logan, right, and his mother

Andrea (left, with Logan) created a Facebook post warning others about the venomous caterpillar, which has received more than 64,600 reactions and has been shared more than 398,000 times

‘Logan was really out of it, in a lot of pain. After about three hours, he finally opened his eyes and began talking to us,’ Andrea said.

Andrea created a Facebook post warning others about the venomous caterpillar and sharing photos of the insect and of Logan’s rash. 

‘Please research this caterpillar, be aware of it & make your kids aware of it. It is not native to [Florida], but to [Texas] and just happens to live here now,’ she wrote on Saturday.

‘Please if you are stung or your kid is stung get to the ER and let them treat you.’

So far, it’s received more than 64,600 reactions and has been shared more than 398,000 times. 

‘We are native Floridians. We are outside all the time, camping, outside, in the woods. We had no idea this was out there,’ she said.

‘I would just hate for a small child to pick this up. Logan is healthy and weighs 100 pounds. I know this would hurt a small child even worse than my 15-year-old son.’