- I'm Coyote Peterson.
How do you guys think I would look
with a blond mustache?
(jaguar roar)
(rapid drumming)
The rainforests of Costa Rica
are filled with beautiful animals.
However, sometimes the most stunning creatures
can also be the most dangerous.
Defensive appearances are everything
on the Osa Peninsula,
whether it's camouflage to keep you hidden,
look at that gross bugger.
Uuugh, and I know everybody's watching right now
saying, "Coyote, are you gonna get stung
"by the toe biter today?"
Absolutely not.
Or bright colors to warn predators
that you would be one toxic treat,
it's all about survival of the best hidden
or best dressed.
But what if you don't care to hide?
And what if you are not born with bright colors?
But instead, one soft-looking cuddly coat,
which conceals beneath it an armor of venomous spines.
Get ready to meet the furry puss caterpillar.
Holy cow, look at this, look at this caterpillar.
- [Cameraman] What are you looking at?
Whoa.
- [Coyote] You don't know what that is, do you?
- [Cameraman] No, I wouldn't touch that.
- [Coyote] This is what the locals call a fire caterpillar.
- [Cameraman] You sure that's a caterpillar?
- Oh yeah.
Watch, I'm gonna bend this branch down
because I don't want him to fall on my face.
I would be in pain for hours.
Look at that.
It looks like a mustache.
I don't exactly know the proper name for this caterpillar.
This caterpillar has many nicknames.
On the Osa Peninsula, it's known as the fire caterpillar.
However, it is more commonly called
the furry puss caterpillar,
because it so closely resembles a fuzzy kitty cat.
In the world of science, this is actually
a flannel moth caterpillar.
But don't let their adorable and cuddly looks fool you.
This fuzzy puss is covered in urticating hairs,
and if you're unfortunate enough to make skin contact,
these hairs can be extremely irritating.
What's even worse is that just below the hairs
are venomous spines.
Get a handful of those, and for nearly 12 hours
you will in excruciating pain.
I'm pretty sure that the little bristles
that will do you damage are on the other side of this fur.
Let me take a look in there,
oh boy, can you see that?
- [Cameraman] Oh yeah.
- Look at that.
Those are what dig into your skin.
And you go to pet it and you're like (groans)
your hand is on fire.
And actually, I think I got a couple of them
that touched my finger
'cause my finger's starting to itch.
I'm sure you guys are thinking,
"Ah come on Coyote, just touch it."
No no no no no.
My hand will feel like it is on fire.
Now it's tough to tell which end of this guy is the head.
I'm gonna go ahead and guess that this end is the head,
'cause as you can see, he's eaten a hole
right through that leaf.
And we've caught this caterpillar
right in the middle of dinner,
and I'm sorry that I had to bug you
in the middle of dinner, Mr. Caterpillar,
but you are just far too bizarre-looking
for us to not get in front of the cameras.
All right, let's see if we can get
this fuzzy little caterpillar to show us
his underside, check this out, watch this.
Look at that.
- [Cameraman] He's dancing.
- I just wanna get him off the leaf and now watch.
Look at that.
Can you see his underside?
Looks like a tremor, doesn't it.
See all those little legs?
Like suction cups that allows him
to move up and down tree trunks,
and his mouth is on the end of his head
and he gnaws away at the leaves.
Wow, just when I thought the rainforests
of Costa Rica couldn't get any more bizarre,
we come across this obscure-looking caterpillar.
Somewhere between a sheepdog and a blond mustache.
I'm Coyote Peterson.
Be brave, stay wild.
We'll see you on the next adventure.
These caterpillars are venomous,
however, there are no reported cases of contact
that have resulted in death.
If you are ever stung, the best first aid
is a cold ice pack applied to the location of the sting,
and antihistamines can be administered
to help with the itching and burning.
All right Donny, we'll see you later buddy.
Enjoy your leaf.
Lesson to be learned here,
if you see a caterpillar that looks soft and fuzzy,
do your absolute best to avoid cuddling with it.
If you thought this was one bizarre-looking creature,
make sure to check out my encounter
with the hooded leaf mantis.
And don't forget, subscribe to join me
and the crew on this season of Breaking Trail.
And I imagine that they must have pretty good eyesight
with how big their eyes are.
And look at how he can just tuck his arms
underneath his thorax like that.
(animals roaring and howling)