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Caterpillars exist to perform two duties, eating and avoiding being eaten. The pictures seldom show the caterpillars feeding, but frequently show the defensive structures that keep others from feeding upon them. There are many caterpillars here with hairs or "urticating spines", filled with an irritant that can cause sharp pain. So watch out for the spines, although you never have to worry about a bite; caterpillars never evolved a venomous bite, so you can let even the spined ones walk over you. The wonderful Acraga hamata looks as if it is covered in a mosaic of transparent glass beads; this is gelatinous material that breaks away if the caterpillar is grabbed. Several of the specimens here are hard to see because they look just like a torn leaf or a branch or a mat of fungus. For mimicry, there is nothing to beat Hemeroplanes triptolemus, an undistinguished drab green caterpillar when at rest. When disturbed, however, it raises and inflates its hind end, which takes on the appearance of a viper's head, complete with eyes, mouth, and nose spots. It holds still in this position, but if further provoked, can even make the viper's head strike at the offending predator, although there is no threat of a bite. The authors say that even if you know that, it is hard to keep from withdrawing your hand in shock if you are performing the experiment yourself.
Wiki User
∙ 9y ago
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoNo caterpilar do not bite but some types of caterpillars can irritate your skin if you touch then.
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Do eastern tent caterpillars bite?
No, they don't bite
Do swallow tail caterpillars bite?
yes
CAN caterpillars bite you?
catterpillers can't be eaten
Do caterpillars bite peaople?
only tasty ones.
Are caterpillars clever?
yes very clever they do not bite
Do brown fuzzy caterpillars bite?
Yes, if they do u could die.:(
Can catarpillars bite?
No, caterpillars do not bite. They simply don't have teeth, and you are probably wondering how they eat their food. Well, the bottom of their faces is stronger and has a hard shell which can cut easily through leaves and thick grass. However, this hard shell will not hurt you, and a caterpillar wouldn't think to bite you.
What to do for a caterpillar bite or sting?
Caterpillars are leaf eaters, not meat eaters. As such, caterpillar jaws do not secrete any poison or venom to immobilize their prey. The "bite" of a caterpillar is more of a pinch than a bite. Unlike bees or wasps, caterpillars do not have stingers - a caterpillar has no mechanism to inject poison of any sort into you. Some caterpillars have a type of fur. The individual hairs can be irritating, like fiberglass, but this is a mechnical irritation. Some caterpillars might have hidden claws,but it doesn't need that much medical atention, you might need a band-aid but nothing more. I have expirienced this before.
Do woolly bear caterpillars bite?
5 .10 maybe 15 pounds depends how tall they are. This is a question for a doctor.
Do caterpillars bit us?
Catterpillars don't bite people, but their hairs can sometimes act as a sort of sting. Hope this helps.
Do caterpillars eat other caterpillars?
no they dont but the can hurt other animals and also can somtimes bite us! i love caterpillars x
Are forest tent caterpillars dangerous?
Eastern tent caterpillars are NOT poisonous, they are only dangerous to the mare reproductive system of horses but they do cause heavy damage to trees---so watch out for these hungry pests!
