Return of the caterpillars
drooling or frothing at the mouth, difficulty in breathing
and/or white spots in the mouth or tongue. If you think your
pet is suffering from these symptoms, vets recommend that
the animal’s mouth is flushed out with as much water as
possible and that the animal is taken immediately for
emergency treatment.
Dog owners are being given their annual warning about the
appearance of caterpillars which can cause serious problems
for their pets. The nests of the Pine Processionary moth began
appearing, earlier than usual, by the middle of last month, high
up in the branches of pine trees. These look like balls of cotton
wool or candy floss but each is actually full of up to 200
maturing caterpillars.
Avoid contact with the animal’s saliva because the toxin can
affect humans as well. The young, the elderly and those who
suffer from toxic allergies should be kept well away.
Soon, the creatures
will be ready for the
next stage of their
development and will
fall to the ground
where they will begin
their annual march
into underground
burrows. Here they
will remain dormant
until summer when
they emerge as
harmless moths.
To minimise the problem, farmers cut down the nests and
then burn them in a metal bucket to prevent as many of the
hairs as possible being left to float off in the air. Treading on
the caterpillars does not destroy these toxic hairs.
And anyone thinking of taking a pre-emptive strike against
these nests should bear in mind that they too are full of
caterpillar hair, which can easily fall out when disturbed.
Exposure by humans has been known to cause a severely itchy
rash that can last up to three weeks, temporary blindness
and/or respiratory problems. Take appropriate precautions or
hire a professional.
The caterpillars get
their name because
they undertake this
march in single file
lines and follow one
another, much like a
religious procession.
The danger for pets,
pic: John Peatey
as well as humans, is
A pine processionary nest
because, at this stage
of their lifecycle, they possess an unusual defence mechanism.
Processional Caterpillars
are covered in fine
white hairs which can
cause at least skin
irritation and at worst
anaphylactic shock. The
caterpillars can travel
along the ground for
long distances so the
Pine processionary caterpillars on the
menace may be
ground
apparent far from the
nearest pine tree.
As if that’s not enough to worry about as temperatures warm,
there will be the return of other pests including fleas, ticks and
mosquitoes. In order to protect our pets, owners need to
remain vigilant with regular flea and tick treatments and
remember to replace Scalibor collars if they have been worn
for six months or longer.
CAS cat corner
Ah, spring will soon arrive with love in the air, especially so in
the cat world. Alas, here we have a fine example of having too
much of a good thing.
The Costa Animal
Society (CAS)
works very hard to
keep the cat
population in Nerja
under control.
When necessary we
engage in the
standard Trap-
neuter-return
programme
described by the
American Society
for the Prevention
of Cruelty to
Animals as “the
most humane,
effective and financially sustainable strategy for controlling
free-roaming cat populations.”
Unfortunately, the inherently curious nature of dogs and cats
may lead them to investigate these unusual creatures. If a pet
was to sniff, lick or bite these caterpillars, it would almost
certainly suffer a severe allergic reaction which, in the worst
scenario, can cause airway closure and death. Other, luckier
pets have lost part of their tongues after licking a caterpillar.
The symptoms of exposure to caterpillar hair are excessive
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