`This week I discovered what a dangerous place the garden can be! I’ve had my fair share of minor injuries and accidents while gardening but what happened this past week was a first.
As is usual for me, I was taking a walk in the garden after work to wind down and refocus after a long day. I decided that I would pull out the spent corn stalks so the I could get the bed fertilized and prepared for the Fall. It is important to note that I never wear garden gloves. I used to tell myself that it is because I like to feel the dirt on my hands and there is some truth to that. I don’t mind getting my hands dirty. But the real reason is that I have never been able to find gloves that fit right and are heavy enough to give me any significant protection. So I just don’t wear them.
I started pulling the stalks. I was on the third or fourth stalk when I felt a sharp sting in my hand. The sting was in the fleshy part of my palm between my thumb and wrist. I thought it must have been a spider but could not find any sign of what it actually was that bit me. I wasn’t too mad as spiders are very welcome in the garden. But I didn’t see a web and could and saw what it was that bit me. All I know is that within a few seconds I was feeling intense pain in my hand which was radiating up my wrist and arm as well as swelling in my hand. By this time I was also able to identify several small puncture like wounds on my palm. Fearing that things might get worse I had John take me to the emergency walk in clinic. The PA there gave me a prescription for some prednisone and instructions to take Benedryl which did the trick.
A few days later I was back in the garden when I came upon these little creatures
This, my friends is the caterpillar of the IO moth and they STING! It was camouflaged so well that I never saw it! The moths that they morph into are quite beautiful but they can wreak havoc on a garden, so if they show up again next year they will have to go!
So, I’ve decided it’s time for some gloves. I’m going to try these
My husband has the men’s version, which I tried, and found them to be really close to what I am looking for in a glove. So I’ve ordered the women’s gloves and will report back how they work out for me. I don’t ever want to get stung by one of those beasts again!
Be careful out there!