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.
Caterpillars hatch and grow as they feed for several weeks.
The caterpillars then pupate and ultimately new moths emerge. These insects hibernate as eggs, prepupae, or pupae, depending on the species. In any case, the caterpillars usually occur only in summer. These insects are usually uncommon and usually no control procedures are warranted. However, if particularly large populations develop, they can be treated with insecticides like other leaf-feeding caterpillars.