What is a Jha?

karuna · Jan 15th, 2009, 22:21

I had the unusual experience of accompanying an old lady to an eye clinic as she had been stung/bitten in the eye by a jha.

Steven Ber was with me, we were trying to figure out what this mysterious creature is. From descriptions, it sounds much like a caterpillar. Moves like one, and has "silver hair" on it.
So I tried "titli baccha" (my broken-Hindi way of asking "child of a butterfly?") but they didn't seem to think it was.

So please, IndiaMikers, enlighten Steven and I: what is a Jha?

steven_ber · Jan 15th, 2009, 22:30

And why is a place in Bihar called Jhajha?

karuna · Jan 15th, 2009, 22:33

Cos it has two of them- the Bihar two, in fact!

livinhimalayas · Jan 16th, 2009, 00:41

What you describe seems suspiciously like what we in UP call soonri. It is like a caterpillar and very hairy. The hair if they come into contact with skin cause a severe rash that may last for days.

Quote:

And why is a place in Bihar called Jhajha?

The place is Bihar is Jhajhar

karuna · Jan 16th, 2009, 01:38

Aha! So jha might be a regional name? Do they move like a caterpillar? Looping up and back down rather than just walking along? That's how it was described to me and Steven.

So does it remain like that all its life, not turning into a moth or butterfly?

This poor lady got stung in the eye. She couldn't open it without pain, and when she did it was just red- ugh. The doc prescribed drops that looked like steroids and antibiotics, so I guess nothing to do but wait for the inflammation to go.

What a strange being this thing sounds like!

livinhimalayas · Jan 16th, 2009, 18:20

It looks and behaves exactly like a caterpillar and i suspect it might turn into a moth of some kind though am not 100% certain of it. The sting (it is the porcupine of the caterpillar world) is generally the hair that get embeded in the skin or what ever part of the body they come into contact with. The best way to avoid a severe rash and subsequent infection is to get rid of the hair by vigourously rubbing the area with rough cloth (which the poor woman could not do as it was the eye!) it is very painful

machadinha · Jan 16th, 2009, 19:42

There are several species of caterpillars with such irritating (in fact poisonous, which causes the irritation, can cause severe respiratory problems as well if inhaled; neither are difficult as the hairs easily break off and then become airborne) hairs (apparently known as stinging hairs in English in a wide variety of plant and animal species and with a variety of effects, so you could search on for that) yes; this sounds like one of them.

In Europe, several kinds of processionary caterpillars (notably the oak processionary) are notorious for it and form a pest in some parts (also destroying their preferred vegetation), said to be on the increase because of the warming climate, and thus spreading to regions where they lack natural predators. Britain (and the Netherlands) is said to be among the regions afflicted.

capt_mahajan · Jan 16th, 2009, 20:03

Jha is a not uncommon Indian surname.

Are you sure an insect bit the lady?

karuna · Jan 16th, 2009, 20:21

Well she's a 65 year old grandmother, but I suppose it's possible it was some neighbour with no self-control!

That did confuse me, Googling jha and finding people's names (and "Job Hazard Assessment". And www.jha.net is very intriguing).

I think it's a caterpillar and the people I know just don't know that it turns into a moth. That's what I think.

PeakXV · Jan 16th, 2009, 20:22

Jha is actually scindi(scandanavian hindi for yes). Did a particular nasty gnat bite your eyeball? Jha,Jha!

theyyamdancer · Jan 16th, 2009, 20:26

Those processionary caterpillars are very common in Crete. They live in our pine trees and are a terrible pest. They cause the sap of the pines to fly in the air while they are munching on the trees. Many people are allergic and come out in a rash of red welts, made worse by rubbing. Fortunately you can acquire immunity after a few years of exposure. But it itches like mad.

machadinha · Jan 16th, 2009, 20:29

Indeed; if I'm not mistaken I seem to remember they're a b*tch on sufferers from hay fever as well.

And they do form a yearly problem (and an apparently relatively novel one at that) in (parts of) NL yes when they come out (doing their "processions") in massive numbers.

karuna · Jan 16th, 2009, 20:29

OK, I have another dumb question. What is Hindi for "slug" and "snail"? I couldn't seem to get the concept across, but India must have them!

PeakXV · Jan 16th, 2009, 20:35

I know there is a tree, that at certain times in the year emits tiny, barbed needles that float about and can get lodged in eyeballs. When I worked in Mexico, two colleagues had to be airlifted to Mexico City to have these 'foreign bodies' surgically removed ..... they and any uninitiated person would have thought they had been bitten by something.

livinhimalayas · Jan 16th, 2009, 20:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by karuna

OK, I have another dumb question. What is Hindi for "slug" and "snail"? I couldn't seem to get the concept across, but India must have them!

That would be 'ghonga'

Jan 15th, 2009, 22:21	#1
karuna Just a big girl with a small dream Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: A little town you've probably never heard of Posts: 2,976	What is a Jha? I had the unusual experience of accompanying an old lady to an eye clinic as she had been stung/bitten in the eye by a jha. Steven Ber was with me, we were trying to figure out what this mysterious creature is. From descriptions, it sounds much like a caterpillar. Moves like one, and has "silver hair" on it. So I tried "titli baccha" (my broken-Hindi way of asking "child of a butterfly?") but they didn't seem to think it was. So please, IndiaMikers, enlighten Steven and I: what is a Jha? __________________ Mosquitos suck.

Jan 15th, 2009, 22:30	#2
steven_ber Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: South of England. Posts: 11,569	And why is a place in Bihar called Jhajha? __________________ . How to get helpful replies to your transport/Itinerary questions. Train information. RAC & Waitlists explained.

Jan 16th, 2009, 19:42	#7
machadinha brother my cup is empty member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: yörp Posts: 14,386	There are several species of caterpillars with such irritating (in fact poisonous, which causes the irritation, can cause severe respiratory problems as well if inhaled; neither are difficult as the hairs easily break off and then become airborne) hairs (apparently known as stinging hairs in English in a wide variety of plant and animal species and with a variety of effects, so you could search on for that) yes; this sounds like one of them. In Europe, several kinds of processionary caterpillars (notably the oak processionary) are notorious for it and form a pest in some parts (also destroying their preferred vegetation), said to be on the increase because of the warming climate, and thus spreading to regions where they lack natural predators. Britain (and the Netherlands) is said to be among the regions afflicted. __________________ Reading tips, all picked up at IndiaMike : INDAX's A Comprehensive Guide To India / Dinoj Surendran's Desi Humor / ITHVC on Culture Shock & Travel Health / JetLag Travel Guides For the Undiscerning Traveller / India Travel Links

Jan 16th, 2009, 20:03	#8
capt_mahajan Infidel Sufi Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: styx Posts: 13,606	Jha is a not uncommon Indian surname. Are you sure an insect bit the lady? __________________ . Outside the machine

Jan 16th, 2009, 20:22	#10
PeakXV Naan.tering Nabob Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Abode of Glooscap Posts: 5,879	Jha is actually scindi(scandanavian hindi for yes). Did a particular nasty gnat bite your eyeball? Jha,Jha! __________________ What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lives within us. ~ Oliver Wendell Holmes Don't go to India ~ Pre-trip Warnings & Misconceptions?

Jan 15th, 2009, 22:33	#3
karuna Just a big girl with a small dream Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: A little town you've probably never heard of Posts: 2,976	Cos it has two of them- the Bihar two, in fact!

Jan 16th, 2009, 01:38	#5
karuna Just a big girl with a small dream Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: A little town you've probably never heard of Posts: 2,976	Aha! So jha might be a regional name? Do they move like a caterpillar? Looping up and back down rather than just walking along? That's how it was described to me and Steven. So does it remain like that all its life, not turning into a moth or butterfly? This poor lady got stung in the eye. She couldn't open it without pain, and when she did it was just red- ugh. The doc prescribed drops that looked like steroids and antibiotics, so I guess nothing to do but wait for the inflammation to go. What a strange being this thing sounds like!

Jan 16th, 2009, 18:20	#6
livinhimalayas still learning Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: The Abode of Snow Posts: 3,337	It looks and behaves exactly like a caterpillar and i suspect it might turn into a moth of some kind though am not 100% certain of it. The sting (it is the porcupine of the caterpillar world) is generally the hair that get embeded in the skin or what ever part of the body they come into contact with. The best way to avoid a severe rash and subsequent infection is to get rid of the hair by vigourously rubbing the area with rough cloth (which the poor woman could not do as it was the eye!) it is very painful

Jan 16th, 2009, 20:21	#9
karuna Just a big girl with a small dream Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: A little town you've probably never heard of Posts: 2,976	Well she's a 65 year old grandmother, but I suppose it's possible it was some neighbour with no self-control! That did confuse me, Googling jha and finding people's names (and "Job Hazard Assessment". And www.jha.net is very intriguing). I think it's a caterpillar and the people I know just don't know that it turns into a moth. That's what I think.

Jan 16th, 2009, 20:26	#11
theyyamdancer lost in Mechuka member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Crete Posts: 4,426	Those processionary caterpillars are very common in Crete. They live in our pine trees and are a terrible pest. They cause the sap of the pines to fly in the air while they are munching on the trees. Many people are allergic and come out in a rash of red welts, made worse by rubbing. Fortunately you can acquire immunity after a few years of exposure. But it itches like mad.

Jan 16th, 2009, 20:29	#12
machadinha brother my cup is empty member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: yörp Posts: 14,386	Indeed; if I'm not mistaken I seem to remember they're a b*tch on sufferers from hay fever as well. And they do form a yearly problem (and an apparently relatively novel one at that) in (parts of) NL yes when they come out (doing their "processions") in massive numbers.

Jan 16th, 2009, 20:35	#14
PeakXV Naan.tering Nabob Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Abode of Glooscap Posts: 5,879	I know there is a tree, that at certain times in the year emits tiny, barbed needles that float about and can get lodged in eyeballs. When I worked in Mexico, two colleagues had to be airlifted to Mexico City to have these 'foreign bodies' surgically removed ..... they and any uninitiated person would have thought they had been bitten by something.

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