Spring is here and so is the cute and gentle sounding brown tail moth caterpillar but the reality is very different.
Lets start with the basics; Brown tail moth caterpillars (see images) are approximately 4cm in length, a dark brown colour with a white line down each side, they are covered in tufts of long brown hairs and they have a very distinctive pair of red/ orange dots which can be found on the caterpillars back, towards the tail end.
The Browntail moth has 4 life stages Egg, Larva, Pupal and Adult, this sequence is known as complete metamorphosis.
The larval or caterpillar stage typically lasts about 7 weeks and starts around early May.
They can easily be identified on shrubs or bushes because they are often found in and around large web like nests or egg purses.
So what’s the problem with them? Surely just leave them alone?
Yes. That’s the ideal answer, if you see them do not touch or go anywhere near them, the brown tufty hairs can cause serious irritations to the skin and can even induce asthma attacks and breathing difficulties if inhaled.
Normally I come at you with a home remedy and/or a few tips on how to remove them yourselves but in this instance I will advise strongly that you just leave them alone or you contact us or a local professional to remove them safely.
If you do have a skin irritation from Brown tail moths then the advice is to bathe the area in warm water and apply calamine lotion or antihistamine creams to ease the itching.
If the symptoms persist then you should seek medical advice immediately.
Stay safe and enjoy the garden this summer, hopefully a little better educated on the creepy crawlies in the garden and what not to invite to the family picnic!
DJ
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