Venomous caterpillar sends teen to hospital

LAND O'LAKES, Florida (WPVI) -- It's summer, and for many people that means being on the lookout for dangerous snakes and spiders.

If that's not bad enough, now you've got to worry about venomous caterpillars.

It is a larva commonly known as an Asp caterpillar or Puss caterpillar. Its fur is toxic, so just a slight touch could numb an area of your body and send you to an emergency room.

One Florida boy found that out the hard way.

WFLA-TV reports the boy, Logan Pergola came in contact with the caterpillar when he was doing some yard work.

"He came running towards me and he was like 'something bit me.' He showed me and it was like all welted up and I said, 'let's go inside and rinse it off,'" said Andrea Pergola, the boy's mother.

His mother had taken him to a nearby hospital with the larva in a small plastic bag.

Logan's experience was posted on Facebook with nearly 300,000 shares.

He is expected to make a full recovery.

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