A ‘hairy’ situation: Virginia officials warn of venomous pus caterpillar

Because 2020 just keeps getting worse, here’s another notch in the year’s belt of horrors.

The Virginia Department of Forestry is warning people about reports of the puss caterpillar in a few eastern counties.

The “hairs” of the fuzzy fiend are venomous spines that cause a painful reaction if touched, according to VDOF, who say the caterpillars eat oak and elm leaves, but can be found in parks or near structures.

“If you find the caterpillar, leave it alone and let its natural enemies control their populations — there are a number of other insects that will prey on them at different stages of their life cycle,” the agency said in a Facebook post.

Thanks, nature.

More information is available online.