How Harmful This Alarmingly Named KY Critter Is Depends on You

Having been plagued this summer by chiggers--I've counted five different bites since the beginning of June--I sympathize with anyone the insects find appealing.

I certainly don't mind being considered appealing, but I'd prefer those doing the considering don't have six or more legs. And LAST summer got started with a wasp sting. They LOVE me. On the fortunate side, those chiggers bites have merely itched, and boy, have they. And the effects of that wasp sting were gone by nightfall.

Recently, thanks to a friend of mine who lives in La Grange KY, I've become familiar with another insect that has the potential to cause harm. But that depends on the person who comes in contact with the alarmingly named American dagger moth, seen here prior to the metamorphosis.

Yes, they are poisonous, but not "black-widow-poisonous." They won't drop you or anything, but you could have an allergic reaction that leaves an itchy rash. Regardless, would YOU want to touch something that looks like that. Here's more information I learned about the American dagger moth from Google Picture Insect:

As for "harmful to plants," I'll let the University of Nebraska's entomology department take it from here:

And the trees dagger moths love are apple, box elder, oak, elm, and willow, among others. Those are some pretty wonderful fruit-bearing and shade trees, the kind you want healthy.