The processionary caterpillars are back and this is getting earlier. And its proliferation throughout almost the entire territory can be worrying. A decree issued in 2022 by the government classified two species, the pine and the oak, as harmful to human health.
As their name indicates, as soon as the good weather arrives, these caterpillars begin a procession through the trees where they used to nest, to the ground where they burrow. It is during this journey that the risk of contact is greatest.
Particularly dangerous for animals.
Processionary caterpillars are covered in hair that can be dangerous if touched. This skin contact can be direct or indirect, even by inhalation, since these hairs can detach while maintaining their stinging property.
Contact is not fatal to humans, but it can cause allergic reactions, especially on the skin, and can also attack the eyes if hair gets caught there.
Children and pets, especially dogs and cats, on the other hand, can develop more severe symptoms because they are more likely to come into direct contact with the caterpillars.
“Animals can be affected at the level of the tongue and the nose in particular, it can cause necrosis and even death in certain serious cases,” explains Alice Samana, presenter at the Processionary Caterpillar Observatory, to BFMTV.
“You don’t have to kill them 100%”
However, solutions to protect against it are rare. “We must not kill them 100% everywhere,” Alice Samana abounds. “They serve other animals, for example, they feed the tits.” The specialist thus recommends rather “manage” them and act “according to the place”.
For example, in a schoolyard or a park with many animals and people, they must be removed. But in a forest, you can let them live.”
According to Alice Samana, if there are chemical treatments, natural tools are the most effective. The first is to install shelters for chickadees, natural predators of caterpillars.
Another solution is to set traps. “We put a completely waterproof collar around the tree to receive all the caterpillars that come in procession and that will fall into a plastic bag,” explains Jérémy Thomas, manager of a company specializing in pest control.
To protect yourself, specialists advise in particular to wear long clothing and closed shoes during walks in the woods or even in a park.
Source: BFM TV
