Stings sharply on contact and leaves a burning rash that can last a day or two. Not medically significant for most people, but genuinely painful and easy to brush against while gardening.
We identify, we don't diagnose. If you've been bitten or stung and symptoms develop, or you're worried, seek medical attention.
Size20–25 mm long
MarkingsBright green 'saddle' with a brown oval in the middle, on a brown body · Two pairs of fleshy horns covered in stinging spines, front and back
WhereEastern US, on a wide range of trees, shrubs and garden plants.
SeasonLate summer into autumn
How to tell it apart
Bright green 'saddle' with a brown oval in the middle, on a brown body
Two pairs of fleshy horns covered in stinging spines, front and back
Squat, slug-like shape
Unmistakable — nothing else in North America looks like it
Where you’ll find it
The eastern United States, from Texas and Florida north to New York and west to Illinois. Most encounters are in the southeast.
Eastern US, on a wide range of trees, shrubs and garden plants.
Late summer into autumn.
How it behaves
It feeds on an unusually wide range of plants — trees, shrubs, garden ornamentals and even maize — which is why gardeners meet it. It does not move much and relies entirely on its spines rather than escape. Both the fleshy horns and the smaller spines along the sides carry venom, so there is no safe end to pick it up by.
What a bite looks like
A row or patch of red welts where the spines made contact, often with swelling and sometimes a nettle-like rash spreading a little beyond.
Immediate burning that builds over several minutes, then throbs. It typically eases within a few hours, though the rash can last a day or two.
We identify, we don't diagnose. Lift embedded spines with adhesive tape, and seek medical attention if pain is severe, swelling spreads, or the person stung is a child or has allergies.
A skin mark cannot confirm which animal caused it. Read the bug bite and sting guide for the limits and the symptoms that should end an online search.
You’ve found one indoors
Do not brush it off with a bare hand — that is how a single contact becomes several. Knock it off with a stick, or cut away the leaf it is on. Wear gloves when pruning in late summer in the southeast, which is when and where most stings happen.
Common questions
How bad is a saddleback sting?
Painful but not medically significant for most people. Burning that peaks within minutes and settles over a few hours, with a rash that can linger a day or two.
What do I do straight after being stung?
Press adhesive tape onto the skin and pull it off to remove broken spines, repeating with fresh tape. Wash the area, and use a cold compress for the pain.
Is there anything else that looks like it?
Not really. The green saddle over a brown body, with fleshy spined horns at both ends, is unique in North America. If you can see that, you have identified it.
Katja Schulz · CC-BY