Don't worry though, we're still alive and with no side effects to speak of.
Here is the story in the Daily Mail which would have you believing that the caterpillars at the Cliff Top in Barton are out to get us.
The Caterpillars are the grubs of the Brown Tailed Moth.
This is how these inocuous looking caterpillars looked in April.
They were tiny and fabulous and in a massive group; too much to not explore.
And now in May, a mere 3 weeks later, here's one we found.
I doubt this one had even hatched a month ago, and this time the finger in the shot is mine rather than Rachels. These caterpillars certainly know how to grow.
This time we have been a lot more cautious of them. We check each bench on the cliff top for signs of them. No, you're right, that's not a lot more cautious is it? But at least we're not going around stroking them this time.
And the moral of this post?
Well there isn't one really apart from my favourite comment of all time
never trust everything you read, especially when it's in the Daily Mail
4 comments:
Seriously - these are bad news = in France they are called Processional Caterpillars because they walk in lines - but they are hugely allergic, esp to dogs etc - who if they sniff them and then get their hairs in their nose, become unable to breathe with obvious fatal results - the french vets are loudly warning about them at this time every year.
How awful, thanks for posting this comment so we know the risks, this was not made clear locally at all.
Dangerous or not, the stuff of my worst nightmares. I would rather sit in a cage of tarantulas than have a catepillar anywhere near me... :O
We have issues with Processional Caterpillars at some of our work sites in Greece - the hairs on them are major irritants and we've had staff members come up with all sorts of reactions when walking through the tree belts!
Post a Comment