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Processionary caterpillars are back. These larvae, present in three quarters of the country, have just been recognized as harmful. Contact with their stinging hairs can irritate skin, cause respiratory problems, abdominal pain, and even kill pets.
Processionary caterpillars are a very harmful species. The town of Melun (Seine-et-Marne) hunts them down every spring on the oaks and pines. A trap was installed during the winter. In the spring, the caterpillars spin straight for the bag. You must take all your precautions before approaching them, and avoid coming into direct contact, “to avoid breathing, inhaling the stinging hairs”explains Stéphanie Beerli, head of the tree division of the city of Melun.
Above all, do not touch them. Their microscopic hairs are stinging, but things can get worse with prolonged contact. “The repetition of these contacts can cause a real allergic reaction”, which can lead “signs of difficulty breathing, malaise [ou] vomitings” who “require extremely urgent care”, warns Dr. Sophie Silcret-Grieu, allergist in Paris. Processionary caterpillars can even kill animals, such as dogs. To get rid of it, fire, biological insecticide or the titmouse are effective.