Nast looking caterpillar

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Hi Friends,

today i caught my duckies »playing« with something, looking like a small black ball, investigated and confiscated this nasty looking caterpillar from my duckies:

To their disappointment i threw it far away down the hill, they immediately asked to be compensated with meal-worms and peas…
Was i right to take their prey away from them? I have made some personal experiences with big black hairy caterpillars. Could one of this guys younger siblings have poisoned one of my ducks a month ago?

 

[cheezenkwackers]

So before ducks I was into butterflies. I raised and sold hundreds. Your caterpillar looks to me to be a harmless Woolybear. Although some caterpillars are poisoness like a Monarch or Pipevine swallowtail caterpillar, they just cause an upset stomach. Even the Io moth caterpillar which has venomous hairs, hurts, but isn’t deadly as far as I know. So I don’t think any caterpillar is really a problem for your feathered babies.

 

[Miss Lydia]

That is a wooly worn my birds won't touch them but here in NC they say the wooly worm predicts the weather for winter. They don't sting either.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

So before ducks I was into butterflies. I raised and sold hundreds. Your caterpillar looks to me to be a harmless Woolybear. Although some caterpillars are poisoness like a Monarch or Pipevine swallowtail caterpillar, they just cause an upset stomach. Even the Io moth caterpillar which has venomous hairs, hurts, but isn’t deadly as far as I know. So I don’t think any caterpillar is really a problem for your feathered babies.

Thank you very much for your answer! I have found many more of the caterpillars today and i'm no longer concerned now.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

That is a wooly worn my birds won't touch them but here in NC they say the wooly worm predicts the weather for winter. They don't sting either.

Well then, according to the wooly worms here, we're in for a very harsh winter, they're all black as a moonless night. Need to hurry up with my duck-house build!

 

[CrystaBub]

That is a wooly worn my birds won't touch them but here in NC they say the wooly worm predicts the weather for winter. They don't sting either.

Well then, according to the wooly worms here, we're in for a very harsh winter, they're all black as a moonless night. Need to hurry up with my duck-house build!

Well gosh - I learned something new today!!! I need to find some wooly worms here so I know what we're in for this winter!

 

[Flockandfowl46]

Wooly worms are not poisonous BUT...when threatened they release those hairs which is an irritant and can cause a nasty rash in humans so I'm not so sure it wouldn't irritate the inside of a ducks mouth but not 100% sure

 

[Miss Lydia]

We found one today all black so best Battin down the hatches here.