Toxic caterpillars which cause vomiting, asthma attacks and horror skin rashes invade the UK with experts warning ‘keep away’
Kew Gardens staff have been forced to fence off several areas of park to avoid injury to public
A PLAGUE of toxic caterpillars has invaded the UK with wildlife experts warning people not to touch the pests and report nests as soon as they spot them.
The latest wave of Oak Processionary Moths to arrive in Britain are so far confined to hotspots in the south east of England.
The moths - which are highly toxic in their caterpillar stage - first came to the UK from mainland Europe in 2005.
Hairs on the caterpillars - which live in and feed off oak trees - contain toxins which can cause severe skin rashes and asthma attacks as well as causing eye and throat irritations, vomiting, dizziness and fever.
Bosses at the Forestry Commission have issued a map of potential hotspots and workers have been working to get rid of nests around the south east of England over the past few weeks.
The hotspots include a host of areas in Guildford, Surrey, as well as Bromley in south east London, Croydon in south London, as well as areas in Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Southwark - and as far north as Watford in Herts.
Bosses at Kew Gardens recently closed off several areas of the 300-acre park to spray oak trees in a bid to fend off the pests.
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Gardner Nick Black, who runs the Muddy Gardener from its HQ in Ashford, Surrey, and covers the south west area of London and Surrey, posted a photo of an oak processionally moth nest in the Twickenham area on Thursday (June 8).
Yesterday bosses at the City of London Corporation said nests had been found in Epping Forest, which straddles Essex and Greater London.
A spokesman said: "Spraying to destroy two Oak Processionary Moth nests found at Hollow Pond (in Epping Forest) began on June 8.
"Forestry Commission inspectors working with Epping Forest Officers identified the nests at the site earlier last week.
"The nests and the surrounding trees within a 50 metre area will be sprayed with a natural pesticide which will control any caterpillar larvae that may be present."
It warned people not to approach the caterpillars and not to try and remove the nests themselves and to report any sightings to the
In 2013 the Forestry Commission used helicopters to blanket spray woodland areas where the caterpillars posed a health threat.
In Belgium, the annual invasion of toxic caterpillars has become so serious that the army has been sent in to incinerate the caterpillars' nests.
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