Spectacularly controversial and toxically-divisive ‘bully-onaire’ and US Republican presidential candidate (still trying to get over that one) Donald Trump has been spotted inching along a tree in a South American forest — well, his hair has, at least.

Behold the flannel moth caterpillar (cruelly dubbed the Trump caterpillar), which has been flooded with interview requests of late due to its uncanny resemblance to Donald Trump’s (possibly sentient) pseudo comb-over. But while its similarities with Tramp, er, Trump, drew international spotlight to its appearance, the creepy crawly merits attention all on its own.

Several species of the fuzzy grub, of the genus Megalopyge, can be found in the Southern United States, Mexico and parts of South America (one even owns a tower in New York City). And they can grow to quite a large size (but they can’t trump Trump’s ego, of course).

Oh, and about that huggable fuzziness? There’ nothing huggable about it. The caterpillar hairs are actually poisonous barbs that can cause humans and other animals excruciating pain, along with headache, nausea, vomiting, breathing difficulties and even shock (same effect when exposed to Trump’s ‘hair’). In other words, it’s a big NOPE from NOPEland.

One species of flannel moth, the Megalopyge opercularis, even has the dubious honour of being the most poisonous caterpillar in the United States (an election/referendum to decide the matter might prove otherwise). Its stings are so deeply dreaded and shunned in the animal kingdom that a cunning bird species in the Amazon has even evolved to resemble the caterpillar as a baby, to scare away predators (Trump’s looks can do that too).

Deadly or not, the quirky caterpillar is still a head-turner. And after metamorphosis, it emerges as an equally fuzzy, but no longer toxic, moth. (It’s unlikely that Donald Trump will ever develop into anything as cute or non-lethal.)

* Based on an article first published in www.PetFinder.my