Claim: Black and white caterpillars can cause severe allergic reactions in some people who touch them.
Verdict: SUPPORTS

Retrieved passages:
title: Lophocampa caryae
text: setae arranged in spreading tufts. Most are white, but there are black tufts along the middle of the back, and four long black hair pencils, two near the front, and two near the back. These hairs cause itchy rashes (contact dermatitis) in many people, particularly those prone to allergies, and may resemble exposure to urushiol. They are microscopically barbed and may cause serious medical complications if they are transferred from the hands to the eyes. There are black spots along the sides, and the head capsule is black. The later-instar caterpillars are seen between July to October. They feed in

title: Caterpillar
text: on into the adult stages. These toxic species, such as the cinnabar moth ("Tyria jacobaeae") and monarch ("Danaus plexippus") caterpillars, usually advertise themselves with the danger colors of red, yellow and black, often in bright stripes (see aposematism). Any predator that attempts to eat a caterpillar with an aggressive defense mechanism will learn and avoid future attempts. Some caterpillars regurgitate acidic digestive juices at attacking enemies. Many papilionid larvae produce bad smells from extrudable glands called osmeteria. Many caterpillars display feeding behaviors which allow the caterpillar to remain hidden from potential predators. Many feed in protected environments, such as enclosed

title: Pine processionary
text: development, pine processionary caterpillars are highly irritating to the skin. Contact with the hairs of the caterpillar can cause severe rashes (urticaria) and eye irritation. Some individuals may have an allergic reaction to the caterpillar's hairs. 5th stage larvae can eject hairs when threatened or stressed; the hairs, which have the form of harpoons, then penetrate and irritate all areas of exposed skin nearby with an urticating protein. Allergic reactions may follow in susceptible individuals on subsequent exposure to the hairs. The pine processionary is an economic pest in coniferous forests in southern Europe. It is controlled to some extent

title: Cethosia biblis
text: lacewing has a bad taste, deriving from the poisonous host plants of the caterpillars. The dorsal sides of the wings of the females are greyish-brownish with black spots and white bands and spots on the black margins. Caterpillars have several reddish, black and white stripes, a black head and long black spikes that contain poison. In fact they mainly feed on poisonous climbing plants, mainly "Passiflora" species ("P. cochinchinensis", "P. moluccana", etc.). This species can be found from the Indian subcontinent eastwards to South-East Asia and East Asia, the eastern limit being the Philippines, and the southern limit being Indonesia.

title: Papilio appalachiensis
text: to exist, but researchers found two black females on the summit of Spruce Knob in West Virginia. The caterpillars of "Papilio" species are usually smooth and vary in color from green to yellow orange. In addition, they have black markings to mimic the appearance of bird droppings or the head of another bug with large "eyes". The eyespot consists of areas of yellow ringed with black with a smaller, light purple spot (also ringed in black) inside. Additionally, a small black spot on top of the "eye" gives it the appearance of a true eye. This form of mimicry provides

title: Lasiocampa quercus
text: that changes their behaviour, causing them to climb out of the protection of low scrub and leave them open to predation, facilitating the spread of the infection. The caterpillar hairs of some species of moth, such as the oak processionary moth ("Thaumetopoea processionea"), can cause skin irritation, but there is no evidence that the oak eggar is one of these, despite the similar name. The caterpillar pupates on the ground inside a silken cocoon, the exterior of which is hard and yellowish, and resembles an acorn, hence the moth's name. "Eggar" is an obsolete word again relating to the shape

title: Agonopterix alstroemeriana
text: moth of the "Depressariidae" family, "Exaeretia canella", which is similar in coloration. However, "E. canella" does not have a reddish spot, and has a dark head. As eggs, they have a pale, off-white color. As caterpillars, they are yellow with a black head. After growing in size (to around 10 mm), the caterpillars are thin and have a light green color, with three prominent stripes on the sides of their bodies, which are a darker green. "A." "alstroemeriana" is a wide-ranging species native to Europe, that has more recently spread to North America and New Zealand. In North America, it

title: Syntomeida epilais
text: moth's abdomen is bright red; it looks like a very dangerous wasp, but in fact is a harmless moth. The caterpillars are orange or dark orange with long black hairs. The caterpillars look dangerous, but the setae do not inflict any harm. Females contact male polka-dot wasp moths by means of ultrasonic signals. On the branch, the sound travels, and then the male follows the sound to his new mate. When he reaches her, he emits an answering signal. After mating, the females find a plant on which to lay their eggs. Groups of from 12 to 75 eggs are

title: Lepidoptera
text: own toxins. Predators that eat poisonous butterflies and moths may become sick and vomit violently, learning not to eat those species. A predator which has previously eaten a poisonous lepidopteran may avoid other species with similar markings in the future, thus saving many other species, as well. Toxic butterflies and larvae tend to develop bright colors and striking patterns as an indicator to predators about their toxicity. This phenomenon is known as aposematism. Some caterpillars, especially members of Papilionidae, contain an osmeterium, a Y-shaped protrusible gland found in the prothoracic segment of the larvae. When threatened, the caterpillar emits unpleasant

title: Lonomia obliqua
text: long, with background colors ranging from green to brown. Well camouflaged, they have rows of tubercles crowned with whorls of easily detachable spines of different sizes. Caterpillars of many species can cause irritation by their hollow body hairs that envenom or detach easily, or can be poisonous if ingested; however, prior to investigations into "Lonomia" caterpillars, it was not known that caterpillars could produce toxins which in sufficient quantities could kill a human being. "Lonomia obliqua" is found in the south of Brazil in the states of Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, and Paraná. The species appears to be

title: Caterpillar
text: of chemical toxins and physical barriers such as hairs. Incorporating host plant resistance (HPR) through plant breeding is another approach used in reducing the impact of caterpillars on crop plants. Some caterpillars are used in industry. The silk industry is based on the silkworm caterpillar. Caterpillar hair can be a cause of human health problems. Caterpillar hairs sometimes have venoms in them and species from approximately 12 families of moths or butterflies worldwide can inflict serious human injuries ranging from urticarial dermatitis and atopic asthma to osteochondritis, consumption coagulopathy, renal failure, and intracerebral hemorrhage. Skin rashes are the most common,

title: Psalis pennatula
text: Black line is bordered by yellow patches on each segment and each yellow patch having a red line through it. Two red glands found on the back of the two abdominal segments. There are two black hair-pencils found on the prothorax. The caterpillar is known to feed on many agriculturally important crops such as "Oryza sativa", "Sorghum bicolor", "Saccharum officinarum", "Imperata cylindrica", "Camellia sinensis", "Persea bombycina", "Shorea robusta", "Vigna mungo", "Solanum melongena", "Tectona grandis", "Triticum aestivum", "Cucumis sativus", "Eleusine coracana", "Hyparrhenia", "Cyperus" and "Pennisetum purpureum". It is a minor pest on paddy, where the attack by caterpillar can result defoliation.

title: Diphthera festiva
text: made of silk and small pieces of plant matter. The cocoons have a vertical exit slit characteristic of the family Nolidae. The caterpillar has a red-orange head and anal plate and a white body with black rings. There are three or four incomplete black rings per segment that end before the cream-colored underside. The spiracles look like black dots and are located in between the black rings. On some caterpillars, there are also black stripes down the length of the body. The true legs and prolegs are black, and there is an orange spot above the prolegs on each side.

title: Hemileuca lucina
text: black and orange. These spines can cause pain through dermatitis when handled improperly. During the first four instars, larvae show gregarious behaviors as they move in clumps. Group size tends to decrease over time due to various factors including weather, predators, parasitoids, food availability, etc. During the fourth and fifth instars, most larvae show solitary behavior. During the sixth instar, larvae are completely solitary and display yellow stripes on their back. During this stage, larvae move away from the host plant and burrow into the ground for pupation. The pupa resides in the soil for the entire summer until September.

title: Brown-tail moth
text: and can be brought indoors on clothing and shoes, so rashes can occur without the victim coming in direct contact with the caterpillars. The toxins in the hairs remain potent for up to three years after being shed. Outdoor activities such as mowing a lawn or raking leaves in the fall can cause exposure. A related species, mistletoe browntail moth ("Euproctis edwardsi"), has been reported as causing a similar rash in Australia, in people working at or visiting a community center, attributed to caterpillars feeding on a tree outside the building. In addition to brown-tail and mistletoe browntail, several other

title: Astraptes fulgerator
text: The thorax has bluish hair on the back, the underside is yellow to orange. The caterpillars and pupae show a wide range of colors and patterns, and the caterpillars also vary in food preference. Last-instar caterpillars are black with a pattern consisting of light to bright yellow dots along the sides, or rings of varying thickness, sometimes interrupted on the back, in a range of colors varying from white to orange red. This species is highly polyphagous, with most food plants belonging to the Fabaceae (legume family): Selected primary food plants Selected secondary and accidental food plants Due to the

title: African armyworm
text: green coloration is due to both pigmentation and ingested plant material visible in the gut. The differences in appearance between the "solitaria" and "gregaria" phases become apparent in the third instar and remain until the last instar. The species is most damaging to crops during its "gregaria" phase because the black-bodied caterpillars are more active and densely concentrated than "solitaria" caterpillars. "Solitaria" larvae are less active and tend to stay curled up by the base of the crops, leading to less exposure to the sun. Because "gregaria" caterpillars have darker coloration and maintain positions higher up on the crops, they

title: Caterpillar
text: but there have been fatalities. "Lonomia" is a frequent cause of envenomation in Brazil, with 354 cases reported between 1989 and 2005. Lethality ranging up to 20% with death caused most often by intracranial hemorrhage. Caterpillar hair has also been known to cause kerato-conjunctivitis. The sharp barbs on the end of caterpillar hairs can get lodged in soft tissues and mucous membranes such as the eyes. Once they enter such tissues, they can be difficult to extract, often exacerbating the problem as they migrate across the membrane. This becomes a particular problem in an indoor setting. The hair easily enter

title: Parthenice tiger moth
text: of tiger moth. Their bodies are stout and furry. Caterpillars of the species are dark with contrasting bright markings and covered with stiff hairs. They are toxic like the adults. Many species of tiger moths contain toxic substances, so the bright patterns of both adults and larvae serve as a warning to predators. Contact with the hairy bodies of these caterpillars can cause skin irritation. Tiger moths have a well-developed hearing organ, or tympanum, on each side of the thorax. The larvae feed on various low-growing plants, including dandelion, "Vernonia", and thistles. Parthenice tiger moth The parthenice tiger moth ("Grammia

title: Caterpillar
text: Caterpillars have evolved defenses against physical conditions such as cold, hot or dry environmental conditions. Some Arctic species like "Gynaephora groenlandica" have special basking and aggregation behaviours apart from physiological adaptations to remain in a dormant state. The appearance of a caterpillar can often repel a predator: its markings and certain body parts can make it seem poisonous, or bigger in size and thus threatening, or non-edible. Some types of caterpillars are indeed poisonous or distasteful and their bright coloring is aposematic. Others may mimic dangerous caterpillars or other animals while not being dangerous themselves. Many caterpillars are cryptically colored