“All I could do was just scream.”A Florida woman was hospitalized from tussock caterpillars, and she felt as if every inch of her body was on fire

What looks like a harmless fuzzy caterpillar on a screen, roof, or tree branch turned into a nightmare for one Florida woman who says the pain was so intense she could do nothing but scream.

In her FOX 35 Orlando report from Mims, Esther Bower showed just how thick the tussock caterpillar swarm has become around one home, where the insects and their cocoons were visible on the roof and around the property. The report centered on homeowner Nicole Herndon, who says a brush with one of the caterpillars led to an agonizing reaction and a hospital stay that lasted nearly three days.

That alone is enough to stop people in their tracks, because the insect does not look dangerous in the way people usually expect. It is not large, it does not lunge, and it does not look threatening. If anything, it has the kind of fuzzy appearance that might make a child want to pick it up.

That may be the most unsettling part of the whole story. The danger is hidden under the soft-looking exterior, and Bower’s report makes clear that the pain can arrive fast.

Swarming Around One Central Florida Home

Esther Bower reported from Mims, where tussock caterpillars are covering parts of Herndon’s home.

Standing outside the house, Bower pointed to the roof, where several caterpillars and cocoons could be seen. She said the fuzzy insects are swarming in the area, and Nicole Herndon said she has been spending more time indoors to avoid them.

Herndon told FOX 35 that even while the interview was happening, there were still about a dozen of them alive and clinging to her screen. That image helps explain why this is more than just a passing nuisance. When a homeowner starts changing how she lives because of insects crawling across her property, the problem has already gotten serious.

Bower’s report also explained that these caterpillars are a seasonal sight in Central Florida, and later in the spring, into May, people should begin to see fewer of them as they transition into moths. But for now, they are out in force, and that means more chances for painful contact.

That timing matters, because seasonal hazards often catch people off guard. Something can be common and still be misunderstood, especially when it looks more annoying than dangerous.

Nicole Herndon’s Reaction Was Far Worse Than A Typical Case

The heart of Bower’s report was Herndon’s description of what happened after she touched one.

According to Herndon, she came into contact with the little quills on the caterpillar’s back, and that was all it took. She told FOX 35 that what followed felt like “every single inch” of her body was on fire.

She said all she could do was scream.

That is a brutal description, and it instantly changes the way most people will think about these insects. Many viewers probably expect a rash, maybe some itching, maybe a welt or two. What Herndon described was something far more intense.

She told Bower that her skin itched and burned so badly that she scratched herself raw. The report said the reaction built quickly, and the written version used to clarify the timeline noted that it intensified within about 20 minutes.

For nearly three days, Herndon was hospitalized.

That kind of severe reaction is not the usual outcome, and the report was careful about that. But rare does not mean impossible, and when a rare case is this painful, it becomes the sort of warning people remember.

Why These Caterpillars Hurt So Much

In Esther Bower’s report, the danger does not come from a bite or sting in the usual sense.

Instead, the tussock caterpillar has poisonous spines hidden beneath what the report called a thick rug of hair. Those hairs or spines are what cause trouble when they make contact with skin.

That is a nasty little defense system. Nature does this often, wrapping danger in something that looks soft, bright, or harmless, and this is one of those examples that feels especially unfair. A fuzzy caterpillar does not look like something that could send a grown adult to the hospital, but looks can be badly misleading.

Bower included medical context from Dr. Dana Mathew of Health First, who explained that severe reactions like Herndon’s are rare. More often, people end up with skin irritation like itching, redness, or welts.

Still, Dr. Mathew made clear that the hairs are the problem. Once they get into the skin, the reaction can quickly become painful and harder to manage if someone makes the wrong move.

What To Do If You Touch One

One of the most useful parts of the FOX 35 report was the advice from Dr. Dana Mathew on what people should do after contact.

The first rule, she said, is not to touch or rub the area. That only spreads the hairs around and makes the reaction worse.

Instead, Dr. Mathew told Bower that the important thing is to remove the hairs. Her advice was to use a strong tape, such as duct tape, and press it onto the affected area so the tape can pull the hairs out.

That sounds simple, but it is exactly the kind of practical guidance people need in a story like this. When panic kicks in, many people rub their skin without thinking, especially if it feels like an itch or burn. In this case, that instinct can backfire.

After removing the hairs, the area should be washed thoroughly. The written details used for context also noted that people should monitor for worsening symptoms or signs of an allergic reaction, and that if the irritant gets into the eye, emergency care is needed right away.

That is another reason this story stands out. It is not just about a strange Florida bug. It is also a reminder that knowing the first few steps after exposure can make a real difference.

A Warning From Someone Who Lived Through It

Herndon’s warning in Bower’s report was plain and direct.

She said the caterpillars may look cool, but people should stay away from them.

That kind of warning carries more weight when it comes from someone who has already paid the price for learning the lesson the hard way. Herndon is not speculating. She is talking after spending days in the hospital because of what seemed like a small moment of contact.

And while her case appears to be unusual, it is hard not to come away thinking that “rare” is not much comfort when the outcome is that extreme. A risk does not have to be common to deserve respect.

Bower’s report did a good job of keeping both sides in view. Most people will not end up hospitalized. But the insects are still not harmless, and they are currently showing up in large numbers around homes and outdoor spaces in Central Florida.

Small Creature, Big Consequences

What makes this story stick is the gap between appearance and reality.

A fuzzy caterpillar looks like one of the least threatening things in the yard. Yet Esther Bower’s report shows that in the case of tussock caterpillars, that soft-looking exterior can hide a painful defense strong enough to leave a person in misery and send them to the hospital.

Nicole Herndon’s story turns that warning into something vivid and hard to dismiss. She is not just saying people should be careful. She is saying that one touch was enough to leave her feeling as if her whole body was on fire.

That is the kind of detail people remember.

So while these caterpillars may begin disappearing later in the spring as they turn into moths, the message from Herndon, Dr. Dana Mathew, and FOX 35 Orlando is clear right now: admire them from a distance, and do not let the fuzzy look fool you.