Slug Caterpillar, Manu River, Peru, 2001
Photograph by George Grall
Brushlike suckers radiate from the body of a slug caterpillar resting on a leaf near Peru's Manu River. The stinging hairs, or suckers, of these brightly colored, fleshy caterpillars contain mildly venomous toxins used for defense purposes. However, simply touching a slug caterpillar triggers toxin transfer, which causes rashes, swelling, and in some cases, fever and nausea.
