Who would think that such a cute caterpillar can also be poisonous. But yes there is such a species from South America. It is called “Giant Silkworm Moth”.

This is a bug you don’t mess with as it has rightly acquired the name of “Assassin caterpillar”. It is the deadliest caterpillar known so far. The caterpillar of this species is more famous than the adult moth.

These are highly venemous caterpillars that blend in with the tree background, causing unexpecting tourists to touch them when they touch a tree. These caterpillars are about 4.5 -5.5 cm (about 2 inches) in length, with background colors ranging from green to brown. They hide well in the trees and the leaves.

This caterpillar has a spine-covered back, filled with venom. The victims feel as if they touched some tree branch or hairy leaves. As these hairy needles stick into the victim, venom flows through the hollow needles and into the punctured wound. Talk about innocent looking dangerous bugs…Huh!