They don't call this creature
the assassin for nothing.
It can kill you with a single touch.
Its body is covered in sharp spines
that will inject you with
potent venom
that could make you bleed to death.
And to make matters worse,
you might not even notice
that you've been stung until it's too late.
This silkworm moth inhabits
the forest areas of South America,
particularly Brazil.
It's no larger than 5.5 cm (2 in),
but its caterpillar offspring
are packed with anti-clotting agents.
In a matter of hours,
you’d be facing acute renal failure
and brain hemorrhaging.
In 50% of cases
where these symptoms occur,
the outcome will be fatal.
The assassin caterpillar has
a variety of colors.
It can be a beautiful bright green
or have a deep brown tone
that allows it to perfectly blend
into trees and leaves.
These are also the silkworm moth's
favorite places to lay its eggs.
This dangerous camouflage
helps protect plants from animals
eating them.
For you, the unsuspecting hiker,
it means that if you accidentally brush
against the wrong tree
you could end up stung by dozens of
these potentially deadly assassins.
Often found on the tree trunks,
it's common to find these venomous
bugs lounging around in groups
of 20 or more.
The killer caterpillar sting
is rather subtle so you probably
won't even feel it,
or have a visible wound.
You might think that’s a good thing,
but guess again.
Some people will notice local pain
and inflammation right after the sting.
If you're part of that lucky group,
you need to wash the area
with soap and water
immediately.
Then apply something cold.
An ice pack would do the trick.
If you don’t see or feel the puncture
but you’ve been out in the wild and
start to feel lethargic and feverish,
seek medical attention
as soon as you can.
It is always better to be safe than sorry.
After washing the wound,
some spines can be still lodged
in your skin.
To get rid of those
you’ll need a simple piece of duct tape.
Place the tape on top of the wound
and then remove it gently.
You can use topical corticosteroids after
to help with inflammation and irritation.
Experts say that the toxic effects
of the assassin caterpillar
typically require more than 20 stings
to have a severe impact on your health.
If I were you,
I wouldn’t dare just brush off
those few stings.
A 60-year-old man
from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
accidentally crushed six caterpillars
with his arm.
Even though he was careful
to wash the area,
apply alcohol and even took
an anti-allergy drug,
20 minutes later
the wound started to swollen
and felt like burning.
Later in the evening,
severe symptoms started to appear.
He had intense abdominal pain
and couldn’t urinate.
After a trip to the hospital,
he was diagnosed with end-stage
renal failure.
The severe consequences of being stung,
such as pulmonary and intracranial
hemorrhaging or kidney failure,
can begin 72 hours after coming
in contact
with the assassin caterpillar.
That's your window of time
to find the antivenom.
This serum reverses the coagulation
disorder caused by
the caterpillar’s venom.
Its early administration prevents the
bleeding that leads to life-threatening
conditions.
You survived an encounter
with an assassin caterpillar.
But there's still another assassin out there,
known as the kissing bug.
If you find yourself waking up
with bloody bedsheets,
then the chances are that a bunch
of them have already started
attacking you.
Want to know how to fight them off?
Find out here.