Processional caterpillars

Please use this forum for general discussions or questions related to Carvoeiro life ONLY
Post Reply
roy4eyes
CVO Master
CVO Master
Posts: 1480
Joined: Tue May 04, 2004 8:16 pm
Location: Carvoeiro

Processional caterpillars

Post by roy4eyes »

These seem to be particularly prolific this year and are DANGEROUS.

I would recommend reading the extremely helpful article in the Algarvedailynews.com
e-richard
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 3031
Joined: Fri Jan 10, 2003 4:18 pm
Location: Surrey and Carvoeiro
Contact:

Re: Processional caterpillars

Post by e-richard »

Does anyone know how to safely get rid of them after they have left the nest?


caterpillar.jpg
caterpillar.jpg (222.64 KiB) Viewed 10221 times
logicbob
CVO Master
CVO Master
Posts: 1688
Joined: Tue Oct 17, 2006 3:26 pm
Location: Hertfordshire / Vale De Milho

Re: Processional caterpillars

Post by logicbob »

My gardeners told me that we had them about 4 weeks ago and sprayed them at an enormous cost. It is not cheap to get rid of them.
roy4eyes
CVO Master
CVO Master
Posts: 1480
Joined: Tue May 04, 2004 8:16 pm
Location: Carvoeiro

Re: Processional caterpillars

Post by roy4eyes »

It appears that the only safe way of getting rid, apart from expensive and non-discriminitory chemicals, is to burn them. presumably with a blow torch or paint stripper. However cover up and wear gloves in case the irritative hairs blow about.

According to folklore if you form the chain into a circle they will keep going round and round and eventually starving - but not too sure of this one !!
e-richard
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 3031
Joined: Fri Jan 10, 2003 4:18 pm
Location: Surrey and Carvoeiro
Contact:

Re: Processional caterpillars

Post by e-richard »

Thanks for the suggestions....

Out walking, I spotted a similar cluster on the ground over which someone had poured some black gunge - looked like black oil, made a huge mess on the road but appears to have killed them all.

Blow torch sounds about right though.
ceh
CVO Master
CVO Master
Posts: 684
Joined: Sun May 14, 2006 6:39 pm
Location: Reading & Caramujeira

Re: Processional caterpillars

Post by ceh »

Thanks for posting this topic - I've never heard of them but will definitely keep an eye out for these caterpillars...
pato
CVO Oracle
CVO Oracle
Posts: 10071
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2008 4:13 pm
Location: Wirral and ADM

Re: Processional caterpillars

Post by pato »

They must have a predator somewhere in the chain?
e-richard
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 3031
Joined: Fri Jan 10, 2003 4:18 pm
Location: Surrey and Carvoeiro
Contact:

Re: Processional caterpillars

Post by e-richard »

pato wrote: Mon Feb 18, 2019 3:37 pm They must have a predator somewhere in the chain?
What does that mean ?
martin
CVO Master
CVO Master
Posts: 1330
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2003 9:21 am

Re: Processional caterpillars

Post by martin »

loads of you tube videos to see on subject

this one is interesting although its a bit complicated

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxKvaulxcqs
pato
CVO Oracle
CVO Oracle
Posts: 10071
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2008 4:13 pm
Location: Wirral and ADM

Re: Processional caterpillars

Post by pato »

e-richard wrote: Mon Feb 18, 2019 6:08 pm
pato wrote: Mon Feb 18, 2019 3:37 pm They must have a predator somewhere in the chain?
What does that mean ?
Are you joking Rich? surely something eats them, just find out what and bingo! :roll:
pato
CVO Oracle
CVO Oracle
Posts: 10071
Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2008 4:13 pm
Location: Wirral and ADM

Re: Processional caterpillars

Post by pato »

Question , What do they turn into? formation butterfly's? :wink:
e-richard
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 3031
Joined: Fri Jan 10, 2003 4:18 pm
Location: Surrey and Carvoeiro
Contact:

Re: Processional caterpillars

Post by e-richard »

My gardener came, poured petrol on them, and they just shrivelled and died. Easy! Result !
destroyer
CVO Senior
CVO Senior
Posts: 241
Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2005 1:10 pm

Re: Processional caterpillars

Post by destroyer »

We happened to mention to some friends last week that we'd booked lunch at Ponto de Encontro for Sunday and they said, didn't we know Paolo had been in intensive care - after falling victim to these things? Apparently a nest fell from a neighbour's pine tree on to his terrace.
Pleased to say he was actually there when we went, although he looked a bit battered. Not surprising, as he told us he had been battling three separate infections at the same time in hospital. The poison the little rotters effectively inject through their daft-like hairs attacks the white blood cells. Anyway, good news is that Paolo is on the mend after a period of recuperation and a gradual return to work.
I've been coming here for over 20 years and I'd never heard of these caterpillars until I read this post, although oddly enough I think I have seen them once or twice. Simply never gave them a second thought. Paolo says a number of golfers have had problems, specifically if the ball rolls through a patch where the things have recently been, and is then picked up, transferring hairs which have adhered to the ball to the hand. Rub your face or take off your hat and there you go!
I'll certainly be more vigilant in future. Paolo said they are now in the UK too, but I have not researched that.
destroyer
CVO Senior
CVO Senior
Posts: 241
Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2005 1:10 pm

Re: Processional caterpillars

Post by destroyer »

For daft-like please read dart-like! A rather apt bit of predictive text.
ceh
CVO Master
CVO Master
Posts: 684
Joined: Sun May 14, 2006 6:39 pm
Location: Reading & Caramujeira

Re: Processional caterpillars

Post by ceh »

As I said in an earlier post, I'd never heard of these before but when we were at the villa about a month ago, my German neighbour mentioned them with reference to a pine tree overhanging the garden. She was very worried about the caterpillars.
Post Reply