Processional Caterpillars
 

I am a bit worried about these little monsters apparently if you see them you have to pour petrol on them and set them on fire as they are very dangerous to humans and especially animals and they live in hanging pine trees so I am told.
Anyone got any other info about them.:(

Re: Processional Caterpillars
 

I've heard about these too. Apparently they are very dangerous to dogs as they shoot little spines out which get infected and can kill them.
I've been told if you have them they are in pine trees, they look like balls of cotton wool, you have to put a paper bag round them, pull them out of the tree then set light to the bag!:ohmy:

Re: Processional Caterpillars
 

I've lived here 3.5 years & have yet to see one.....however a friend of mine was cleaning out a garage & found some....she must have touched something they had been on...ended up covered in a very itchy rash all over her upper body:eek:

Re: Processional Caterpillars
 

They are usually around from Jan to March, and this year was particularly bad, I heard of at least 3 dogs which lost part of their tongues one of which was only a tiny puppy and lost part of the lips and it also affected the pads of the feet, if a dog licks or sniffs at them then they attack the tongue and quite often the dog can go into shock and die. If you see them then spray them with hairspray which will stop the hairs flying out before you do anything with them. Lots of children had very bad rashes when they were playing in the parks. The councils can spray the pine trees but dont want to because the birds get affected. They seem to be in the umbrella pines and those spindly straggly looking pines. We could only safely take our dogs to the beach during that period as they were in the pine trees near us.

Re: Processional Caterpillars
 

Info on them at this link
http://www.pureportugal.info/flora_f...l#caterpillars
:thumbup:

Re: Processional Caterpillars
 

Two more links,,,,,, guess where ;);) :thumbup:

Re: Processional Caterpillars
 

Errrrrrr ......

Re: Processional Caterpillars
 

Free http://bestsmileys.com/drinks/4.gif

perhaps?

Re: Processional Caterpillars
 

friends of ours who live near peniscola lost their dog 3 months ago to these caterpillers.the vet tried to save him but his hair fell out ,then he developed sores all over his body and lost half his body weight he was a big dog too.however he died a month of being affected.

Re: Processional Caterpillars
 

Now I'M panicking!! The house we're buying has a lot of pine trees and I've got 2 dogs!!:(:(

Re: Processional Caterpillars
 

Chop the blighters down if they are hanging pines thats what the previous owners of the property we bought did and there has'nt been any since.

Re: Processional Caterpillars
 

I understood its illegal to cut down pine trees?:confused:

Re: Processional Caterpillars
 

If they are on yr own land I dont think it is but not sure ours were growing on our plot inside our front gates and we are on the mountain so no one ever comes up there, thankfully

Re: Processional Caterpillars
 

Keep your eye on the sky, for police helicoptors and planes. ;-)

Re: Processional Caterpillars
 

ooooh yes please will they have uniforms on ;)