Re: Caterpillar infestation within oak trees

120770

120770

Location
The Kingdom of Fife
At present we are having trouble with a certain type of caterpillar, within the oaks trees here in Germany. If I knew the latin name I would spell this name out, as I am interested to hear from fellow european arborists on any further information on this little critter. I believe it was a major problem in the south of germany 2 years back. Where it originally sprung from is another question, warmer summers etc... climate change your guess is as good as mine.

The problem is that the caterpillar hairs are the culprit, causing irritable rash infections and a good number of spots on climbers and evening groundies.

Scotty
 
We get them here too.

Itchy like fibre glass, also spreads really easily and thru your clothes.

You get little pimple like things by the million and scratch like crazy.

Anti-histamine cream and tablets is all you can do and avoid them like the plague. If climbing with gloves, dont touch anything or rub anything and chuck the gloves out when done.

You have to look for them when climbing but mostly you wouldn't know that they've already nailed you.

Wait till one falls down the collar on the back of your neck.
 
Problem is you arrive to do the tree and the buggers are on it, it's not like you're going to spray it and come back later.

Jimmyq, please elaborate on this chemical, how to apply it onm large trees, how quickly it kills the stupid caterpillars and how long it lasts (like if you spray now will new caterpillars be there next week).
 
Eric. BtK is a bacterial product, when applied to the leaves (cover as much foliage as possible) it causes a protein growth of some sort in the caterpiller digestive tract after they consume treated leaves, they usually stop feeding within a few hours and die a few days later. supposed to be quite harmless to most everything but caterpillers.

a quick link via google: http://www.sopfim.qc.ca/en/faq/main.html#question4
 
EricE looks almost a dead ringer, if i get me hands on one i will compare, saved your photo to get a proper ident. The climbers here avoid them like the plague, but as you said Ekka they have already nailed you. Our boss gets them really bad, one time had to go to the docs to get the spots lanced. Last year i was out checking trees within this sports park, was checking this oak tree out found some big nest so decided to wipe it of the stem with me gloves on. Then later clean forgot what i had used my cloves for earlier that day, I paid the price for it itched like as bitch for sure.

Scotty
 
This is how you spray trees dutch style, that was just to get some leave munching critters out of Lime trees.....


Scotty
 

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I found this on one of our bastids ... and hey, the friggin hairs of the bugger get airborne and nail people!!!

http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/175_12_171201/balit/balit.html

And there's a really good idea, use sticky tape over the affected area to get the tiny hairs off.

Also, add a few drops of water to aspirin and apply it externally to the affected area. I got to remember these two things coz they seem to get into the eucs and especially the ironbarks.

And then there's this common bugger that has poisonous hairs, I call them itchy grubs too.

http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/pest-and-...af-skeletoniser

So, conclusion is hairy caterpillars around the globe SUCK!
 
It was nt that one either, we got a picture today of the culprit but it is a on cell phone camera, so we still have to transfer it over to my pictures.

That one looks preety Knarly Mark, big humps and all....

Scotty
 
Found these pictures on the web today of the little upstart, that make syou itch like a bitch...

Scotty

Latin name "Thaumetopeua processionea"
 

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