They’re cute and fuzzy — and they’ve been unavoidable in recent weeks.

Forest tent caterpillars, identifiable by their blue markings and furry appearance, are more abundant this year thanks to drought and recent warm winters, said Tim Schowalter, entomology professor and department head.

These caterpillars, along with the white-marked tussock moth caterpillars, turn into brown moths, Schowalter said. The spiny stinging caterpillars turn into buck moths, which have black and white markings, he said.

Schowalter said the commonality of caterpillar species depends on climate conditions and the amount of stress on the trees on which they feed. One of the caterpillars’ favorite foods is live oak tree leaves, which are plentiful at the University, he said.

Some caterpillars are beginning to spin their cocoons, but most will continue crawling around campus for a few more weeks, Schowalter said. The forest tent and tussock moths will appear in about a month, while buckmoths will not fly until around December, he said.

Until then, Schowalter said it doesn’t hurt to know some basic caterpillar first aid.

If stung by a stinging caterpillar, Schowalter suggested putting a piece of tape on the affected site. Removing the tape pulls out any spines and reduces the amount of venom that enters the skin, he said.

Schowalter said to relieve the pain of any of the caterpillars’ stings, remedies range in applying meat tenderizer, toothpaste, vinegar or ammonia to the site. Taking Benadryl is also a good idea to prevent an allergic reaction, he said.

There is a bright side to the caterpillars’ seeming omnipresence, however: Schowalter said in forests, caterpillars’ waste aids decomposition, which makes plants grow faster and healthier.