What are toxic caterpillars, are they in the UK and how dangerous are they?
The tiny bugs can cause rashes that last for days. Here's what you need to know about the irritating creatures...
AN invasion of toxic caterpillars has prompted a health warning in parts of the country.
But what are these harmful larvae, and how dangerous are they? Here's the low-down on the furry creatures - and the havoc they can wreak.
What are toxic caterpillars?
There are many different species of caterpillar, but the two considered toxic are generally taken to mean the brown-tail and the oak processionary moths.
Brown-tail moths are covered with brownish hairs which can easily break off, causing intense irritation and rash if they come into contact with human skin.
The 3cm creatures also have a series of white marks down the side and a pair of orangey spots at the rear end.
Brown-tails tends to live in hedgerow trees such as blackthorn and hawthorn, or on plants such as bramble.
These differ slightly from their toxic relatives - the oak processionary moths, which first came to the UK from mainland Europe in 2005.
Highly toxic at the caterpillar stage, these live in and feed off oak trees and contain toxins which can cause severe skin rashes and asthma attacks, as well as causing eye and throat irritation, vomiting, dizziness and fever.
Are they in the UK?
This kind of moth is mostly found in Southern England and Wales, and in some coastal regions further north.
They are most active in the summer months - and have experienced a particular breeding boom recently due to the unusually warm weather.
In June 2018, notices went up across Bournemouth after a number of residents experienced skin irritation from their touch.
The council warning explains that the caterpillars feed on plants such as brambles, and urges members of the public not to touch them.
And in May, parts of Budleigh Salterton in Devon had to be closed off due to an invasion of the same variety of caterpillar.
The species can also be found across the continent, as well as on the coast of Maine and Cape Cod in the US, where it is considered an invasive species that came from Europe.
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How dangerous are they?
The insects' hairs contain a toxin and can detach from the body and float on the air, causing allergic reactions similar to a nettle rash.
Both the oak processionary and the brown tail moth can also trigger headaches and, more rarely, breathing difficulties and eye problems.
The Forestry Commission has been trying to purge the South East of the dangerous caterpillars for several years - with a particularly bad outbreak in 2017.
In Belgium, the annual invasion of toxic caterpillars has become so serious that the army has been sent in to incinerate the caterpillars' nests.
Rashes from the caterpillars tend only to last up to three days, but you should see a doctor if they persist or have any concerns.
Experts are urging people not to touch them and to report nests of to the Forestry Commission as soon as they spot them.
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