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Project Noah Nature School
Thaumetopoea pityocampa
These Processionary caterpillars were on their way into my garage where they would be trapped and unable to leave. They are known to cause extreme irritation, and since I have dogs and cats I was keen to collect them and take them elsewhere! They marched into the box where they spiralled until the last one was in. I was then able to drive the box a safe distance away and leave them near a pine tree.
Pine trees in Cyprus
Spotted on May 10, 2012
Submitted on Apr 7, 2013
4 Comments
Oh terrible, that must be a nightmare when thousands of them fall on you :(!
Yeah my friend had a nest load fall on him! He had a terrible reaction - blisters galore!
Crazy caterpillars, super full of HCOOH, I had so many burns made by them when I was a kid because they are leaving this acid all around, on the plants they walk and when I would play on the meadow I would be full of this "bubbles" that are formed after when the acid touches the skin. They are considered as a very very obnoxious insects and can destroy many trees!
That is something to see for sure! So strange how they form a line.