Which pesticide is effective for controlling stinging caterpillars

Stinging caterpillars are mostly found on green leaf surfaces and live by eating leaves. There are many common species, such as flat-shaped and prism-shaped ones, and most are larvae of the slug moth family. They once grew in large numbers on shrubs such as false indigo and on tree-of-heaven plants in northern China in summer and autumn. What pesticide should be used to control stinging caterpillars?

1. What pesticide should be used for stinging caterpillars

Pyrethroid products can be used, such as deltamethrin, which is the most toxic of the pyrethroid insecticides and has a very good killing effect on many pests, including stinging caterpillars, cotton bollworms, pink bollworms, cabbage caterpillars and diamondback moths.

2. The toxicity of stinging caterpillars

Stinging caterpillar dermatitis is an acute dermatitis caused by the venom released by the venomous bristles after they pierce the skin. In places where stinging caterpillars grow in large numbers, the bristles of dead stinging caterpillars remain toxic for a certain period of time and can drift through the air onto people, so even people who have never touched a stinging caterpillar can suddenly develop stinging caterpillar dermatitis.

It is generally more common on the face and neck. The lesions often appear as edematous erythema, wheals or large areas of edema, sometimes with vesicles or bullae, mostly solitary or forming a small patch. There is conscious severe pain, often accompanied by itching later.

3. What should be done after being stung by a stinging caterpillar?

After being stung by a stinging caterpillar, stinging caterpillar dermatitis may develop. In the early stage of stinging caterpillar dermatitis, you can immediately wash with soapy water, and after washing, topical glucocorticoid medications can be applied locally. For example, desonide cream can be applied externally. If the dermatitis caused by the stinging caterpillar is not very obvious, oral medication is generally not needed, but if the stinging caterpillar dermatitis continues to develop and obvious local erythema, redness and swelling, and itching appear, oral antihistamines are needed, usually loratadine and similar drugs. Of course, if the stinging caterpillar dermatitis continues to develop and there are certain blisters and redness and swelling, a 3% boric acid solution compress or a normal saline compress should be used.

The larvae are covered all over with toxic bristles. Once they contact the skin, the bristles pierce into the sweat pores, causing the pores to quickly become inflamed, swollen, and unbearably itchy, accompanied by pain, so one does not dare touch them with the hands. In severe cases, they may endanger life. However, they generally do not cause harm to skin without sweat pores, such as the palm, so although this insect is highly toxic, it is possible to pick it up carefully with the fingers.