If you ever see this insect in your yard, you should know what it is and what to do

If there's one positive thing that the rise of social media has brought with it, it's that people can now share information at an unprecedented rate.

This also means that warnings about potential dangers can spread very quickly, which makes all of us—at least in theory—safer.

A few years ago, one such warning was shared by a mother whose son developed a strange, web-like red mark on his skin after collecting some tree branches one day. Soon after, he was rushed to the emergency room. Now, Andrea Pergola wants everyone to know something that could potentially save a life.

When Andrea's 15-year-old son, Logan, was collecting tree branches as part of his volunteer work, he suddenly felt a sharp, brief pain when something stung him.

Within minutes, a web-like red mark appeared on Logan's arm, and it wasn't long before it developed into a full-blown rash. The rash spread up his arm and onto his chest, and the area began to burn with unbearable pain.

Not only that—Logan also felt dizzy and turned pale. His mother washed the area and rubbed garlic on it in an attempt to "draw out" the venom (as is said to work for insect stings). But despite all her efforts, nothing helped.

It was Logan's grandfather who located the insect that stung him. Wearing thick gloves, he put it in a bag and examined it closely.

It turned out to be a "cute," furry-looking caterpillar—but in fact, one of the most venomous caterpillars in all of North America. After searching for information online, Andrea realized she needed to take Logan to the emergency room, and urgently.

"Please look up information on this caterpillar, be aware of it, and make your kids aware as well," Andrea wrote on Facebook.

"It's not a native Florida species, but it's native to Texas, and it just so happens to live here now. Please, if you or your child get stung, go to the emergency room immediately and let them treat you. I can promise you—we didn't realize he had been stung so many times, and a regular over-the-counter medicine like Benadryl would not have helped in this case at home."

Watch more about Logan's ordeal — and the warning his mother gave afterward — below:

Have you ever seen anything like this? Let us know in the comments.