Browntail Moths

The Browntail moth caterpillars are rather different from most other caterpillars. They are covered in small hairs, which contain a nasty chemical. The hairs are shed when the caterpillars are disturbed. They cause severe irritation and a blotchy rash when they come into contact with skin. The caterpillars often live in the trees and shrubs around retail parks. The hairs float on the breeze quite easily. So, if you tamper with an infested tree, you could end up with a very nasty rash!
The people most at risk are the landscapers and ground maintenance staff, who prune the shrubs on which the caterpillars live. But when the caterpillars run amok on hedges and shrubs at waist height, that’s when young children or adults may come into direct contact with them and the problems start. They are seasonal, and spend the winter on the shrubs, living in small white tents.
What can we do?
Successful treatment usually involves ‘management’ of the problem. The caterpillars and their ‘tents’ need to be located and physically removed and destroyed. They can be sprayed, but this doesn’t remove the tents, which may still contain caterpillar hairs. Regular treatment through the spring and summer is usually recommended.