LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — Eyewitness News has learned a student at a Lake County school had to be rushed to the hospital when she was stung by a venomous puss caterpillar. The insect was given its name for its resemblance to a fluffy Persian house cat.
Anniston McCall, a ninth grader at Mount Dora Christian Academy was stung Wednesday during English class.
"My arm was stiff after a couple of minutes. I couldn't move it," McCall told Channel 9's Jeff Deal.
%
%
McCall said after the sting she felt a small burning sensation in one spot, then it started hurting up and down her arm.
"It was kind of scaring me because it happened really quickly over the coarse of one minute maybe," McCall said.
McCall received liquid Benadryl on the bite at the school's office, but she said it only hurt worse. She said her arm was so stiff, she couldn't move it. When her mom arrived at the school, she spotted the puss caterpillar in McCall's hair.
Paramedics were called and she was taken to the emergency room.
The Florida Poison Information Center said the puss caterpillars are venomous and the sting can be very painful; especially for people who are sensitive to bug bites.
In the past year, the center has received 398 cases reported statewide, and the number is probably low because it's not mandatory to report the bites to the poison center.
McCall said she just wants people to be aware of what the puss caterpillars can do.
"You want people to know about it so they don't think it's a cute little caterpillar and go touch it," McCall said.
Cox Media Group
