August 24, 2008 – Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
VIDEO by David Corrigan

(BIVN) – The invasion of the stinging nettle caterpillar is the subject of a discussion at the Kona Outdoor Circle between entomologists and garden enthusiasts. The caterpillar, known for its sometimes painful sting and appetite for foliage, is spreading into residential areas.

NOTE: Pictures of the caterpillar in various stages of its life cycle, as well as the picture of the proposed biological control, a Trichogrammatid wasp, are shown courtesy the University of Hawaii’s Pest Alert pamphlet.