Oak Processional caterpillars.....

[Ty Korrigan]

I've been got!

Dragging oak branches to the chipper Saturday.

Torso, arms and hands.

My toddler emptied the washing machine yesterday evening and tried on my dirty t'shirt now she too has red welts and bumps over her body.

I previously used to think I had a bed bug infestation, then maybe allergic to ivy but it's always oak which is the common denominator.

I going for a bike ride to take my mind of the itching then a cold shower after.

Warm showers make it worse.

Ty

[Mick Dempsey]

We had a similar experience a few years back.

 

Anti histamine can take the edge of it a bit.

[David Cropper]

I took some ivy down at my place three weeks ago and ended up looking like the Elephant Man. Arms full of lumps which I ripped to bits scratching them. Got some cortisone from the chemist, took nearly a week to sort it out.

[David Humphries]

Sorry to hear that Ty, sounds annoying.

 

Guess you're gonna have to be more vigilant whilst working on/around oak at this time of year.

 

 

The contractors we use to get rid of our nests have some nasty tales of being affected by the hairs.

 

Is there no control program in place where you are in France?

 

 

 

 

 

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[Ty Korrigan]

There was no ivy in brash but I did climb one tree to remove a couple of stubborn hangers.

The insects are damn near invisible and if you do see one normally it's too late.

There are simply too many trees here to engage in a comprehensive control programme.

This country has little in the way of tree related legislation.

Locally, only a few urban pines have traps installed.

Ty

[GreenGui]

Know what your going through. Its been a bad year for them. This spring I have had several nests on oaks and pines that I have either cut out or burned off with a blow torch on the end of a pole.

 

The rash reduced after about 24 hours for me.

[Ty Korrigan]

Monday morning and the itching stopped last night.

I have scabby arms from scratching and bloody sheets to change.

A bit sleep deprived as well...

Ty

[Gary Prentice]

A hard lesson learnt. To date we don't have them, that I'm aware of.

[GreenGui]

I cut one of our a landy hedges about 10 years ago and within 30 mins of finishing started getting what I now know are the symtoms. The hedge sits under a canopy of very large oak trees. I learnt that its not just tree work where they are a problem - I've suffered it about 3 times now but this was the worst case for me. The combination of the hedge cutters and brushing off the clippings whilst wearing a T shirt and shorts... Doh!