Officials issue warning after venomous hairy caterpillars spotted in Virginia

It’s a hair-raising situation.

A breed of hairy caterpillars — considered the most poisonous in the US — have recently been spotted in Virginia.

The state Department of Forestry is warning residents to be on the lookout for puss caterpillars, which look soft and furry — but have hidden sharp spines that can stick to human skin.

“The ‘hairs’ of this caterpillar are actually venomous spines that cause a painful reaction if touched,” the agency wrote on Facebook.

The Cousin Itt-like critters’ venomous spines can cause symptoms including intense pain, itchy rashes, nausea and vomiting when touched or brushed up against, according to the University of Michigan.

Last month, a woman in Richmond, Va., went to the emergency room after a run-in with one of the so-called “toxic toupees.”

“It felt exactly like a scorching-hot knife passing through the outside of my calf,” Crystal Spindel Gaston told the Virginia Mercury.

Measuring less than 2 inches, the creepy crawlies feed on shade trees such as elm, oak and sycamore and are usually found in Southern states, going up north to Maryland and west to Texas.