07-27-2007, 07:30 AM
Noel,
Those stinging caterpillars are the bane of my garden existence, and they are particularly bad right now. One thing I have found helpful, other than the obvious need to avoid them, is to keep some baking soda handy. If you rinse off the sting with running water and then apply a paste of baking soda and water, the inflammation tends to be less severe in my experience. I think the soda neutralizes the acid component of the sting and/or draws the toxin out of the skin. Once the paste dries, gently brush it off and rinse again. This only works if you do it within a minute or two of the sting. If I don't do this, I end up with blisters the next day.
Hope this helps,
Jerry
Those stinging caterpillars are the bane of my garden existence, and they are particularly bad right now. One thing I have found helpful, other than the obvious need to avoid them, is to keep some baking soda handy. If you rinse off the sting with running water and then apply a paste of baking soda and water, the inflammation tends to be less severe in my experience. I think the soda neutralizes the acid component of the sting and/or draws the toxin out of the skin. Once the paste dries, gently brush it off and rinse again. This only works if you do it within a minute or two of the sting. If I don't do this, I end up with blisters the next day.
Hope this helps,
Jerry