This larva is about 25 mm long when fully grown. The saddleback is one of the more distinctive stinging caterpillars. Its thoracic legs are very tiny and no prolegs are present. This caterpillar grows to about 25 mm long when fully grown. The distribution of stinging caterpillars varies with species.
All stinging caterpillars are foliage-feeding insects.
Trees, ornamentals, field crops, and fruits all support infestations of stinging caterpillars. When the spines are broken by contact, venom passes through the spines onto the skin of people who come in contact with them. In some cases, local lesions may persist for several days. Because there are several species of stinging caterpillars, a specific life history cannot be given which would apply for all. In general, moths fly during the summer and lay eggs.