Spot a tiny fuzzy caterpillar crawling across an oak leaf and your first instinct might be to take a closer look—or even pick it up. With its thick coat of silky hair, the puss caterpillar can look more like a miniature toupee than an insect capable of delivering an intensely painful sting. Hidden underneath that…
pest identification
This Garden Beetle Can Cause Blisters If You Crush It With Your Bare Hands
Gardeners are accustomed to squashing pests between their fingers, especially when an insect is chewing through a prized tomato plant. But there’s one garden visitor you definitely don’t want to crush with your bare hands: the blister beetle. These insects contain cantharidin, a potent chemical that can irritate skin and cause painful, fluid-filled blisters when…