Processional caterpillars

[roy4eyes]

These seem to be particularly prolific this year and are DANGEROUS.

I would recommend reading the extremely helpful article in the Algarvedailynews.com

[e-richard]

Does anyone know how to safely get rid of them after they have left the nest?

caterpillar.jpg (222.64 KiB) Viewed 12029 times

[logicbob]

My gardeners told me that we had them about 4 weeks ago and sprayed them at an enormous cost. It is not cheap to get rid of them.

[roy4eyes]

It appears that the only safe way of getting rid, apart from expensive and non-discriminitory chemicals, is to burn them. presumably with a blow torch or paint stripper. However cover up and wear gloves in case the irritative hairs blow about.

According to folklore if you form the chain into a circle they will keep going round and round and eventually starving - but not too sure of this one !!

[e-richard]

Thanks for the suggestions....

Out walking, I spotted a similar cluster on the ground over which someone had poured some black gunge - looked like black oil, made a huge mess on the road but appears to have killed them all.

Blow torch sounds about right though.

[ceh]

Thanks for posting this topic - I've never heard of them but will definitely keep an eye out for these caterpillars...

[pato]

They must have a predator somewhere in the chain?

[e-richard]

They must have a predator somewhere in the chain?

What does that mean ?

[martin]

loads of you tube videos to see on subject

this one is interesting although its a bit complicated

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxKvaulxcqs

[pato]

They must have a predator somewhere in the chain?

What does that mean ?

Are you joking Rich? surely something eats them, just find out what and bingo!

[pato]

Question , What do they turn into? formation butterfly's?

[e-richard]

My gardener came, poured petrol on them, and they just shrivelled and died. Easy! Result !

[destroyer]

We happened to mention to some friends last week that we'd booked lunch at Ponto de Encontro for Sunday and they said, didn't we know Paolo had been in intensive care - after falling victim to these things? Apparently a nest fell from a neighbour's pine tree on to his terrace.
Pleased to say he was actually there when we went, although he looked a bit battered. Not surprising, as he told us he had been battling three separate infections at the same time in hospital. The poison the little rotters effectively inject through their daft-like hairs attacks the white blood cells. Anyway, good news is that Paolo is on the mend after a period of recuperation and a gradual return to work.
I've been coming here for over 20 years and I'd never heard of these caterpillars until I read this post, although oddly enough I think I have seen them once or twice. Simply never gave them a second thought. Paolo says a number of golfers have had problems, specifically if the ball rolls through a patch where the things have recently been, and is then picked up, transferring hairs which have adhered to the ball to the hand. Rub your face or take off your hat and there you go!
I'll certainly be more vigilant in future. Paolo said they are now in the UK too, but I have not researched that.

[destroyer]

For daft-like please read dart-like! A rather apt bit of predictive text.

[ceh]

As I said in an earlier post, I'd never heard of these before but when we were at the villa about a month ago, my German neighbour mentioned them with reference to a pine tree overhanging the garden. She was very worried about the caterpillars.