Colonies of Oak Processionary Moth Caterpillars

[David Riding]

Human health care rather than tree health care.... I have received some promotional literature from a well known Vacuum Cleaner manufacturer suggesting I should get involved in hoovering up caterpillars in urban parks and woodlands around oak trees due to major human health problems associated with the thousands of tiny hairs that snap off Caterpillars and become potentially inhaled. Is this a well known threat or are sales low on vacuum cleaners this time of year

[David Riding]

should have googled first, just found this http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/fr_advice_note_oak_processionary_moth.pdf/$FILE/fr_advice_note_oak_processionary_moth.pdf

[Fungus]

Human health care rather than tree health care.... I have received some promotional literature from a well known Vacuum Cleaner manufacturer suggesting I should get involved in hoovering up caterpillars in urban parks and woodlands around oak trees due to major human health problems associated with the thousands of tiny hairs that snap off Caterpillars and become potentially inhaled. Is this a well known threat or are sales low on vacuum cleaners this time of year

 

David,

Also see my posts under : Oak Processionary Moth.

Edited July 25, 2011 by Fungus

[Ian C]

I got one aswell David, those white suits make my bum look big so im not doing it!

[Fungus]

In The Netherlands, even though we had an explosion of OPM for the second year in a row, this far no hospitalisation is documented. The only reports of symptoms (eye and skin irritation, allergic and asthmatic reactions) being treated come from GP's and from eye doctors, which because of the damage done to eyes by the hairs ranging from irritation to (temporary) blindness, advise sportsmen to wear protective glasses in oak forests.

And vet's warn for the effects on dogs, cows and horses after ingesting the hairs, which even lead to the death of an unspecified number of dogs.

Edited August 1, 2011 by Steve Bullman

[sean]

Forget the vaccum.....i removed near on a 1000 nests this last month and evey single one of them with a tescos freezer bag!!:biggrin:

[Fungus]

In The Netherlands, meanwhile all symptoms attributed to OPM are recognized and diagnosed by health care professionals : if you have a rash or have problems breathing they'll ask whether you have been around OPM-infected oaks. And the same goes for the symptoms of Lime disease or borreliose caused by ticks, because of which people actually do get hospitalised.

By the way. Isn't there some kind of national health authority, which should inform health care professionals and the public ?

Edited August 1, 2011 by Steve Bullman

[sean]

Found the vaccum to be handy in the early days but once the caterpillars had made their pupation nests they were so solid that a hand in the bag was far easier and far quicker. Not my manor anymore.....have relinquished the reigns and moving to bristol......(might have a few stray caterpillars coming with me if you catch my drift:001_rolleyes:)

Edited August 1, 2011 by Steve Bullman

[Dak]

Speaking of OPM how far have they reached?. Can't say I've seen a single case in the midlands