The first oak processionary caterpillars of the season have emerged in several places in the Netherlands. They already hatched on 30 March, according to Knowledge Center Eikenprocessierupen. They are early this year as March was warm and sunny.
Door NU.nl/ANPSo the first caterpillars have been spotted, but most egg packages are still closed. The eggs that were first laid last year and have been in the sun have probably hatched first.
–
Because the temperature was lower in the last few days, the development of the rest of the eggs has slowed down somewhat. That could change when the weather warms up next week. According to the knowledge centre, the situation is comparable to last year, when some of the eggs hatched early.
–
The oak processionary caterpillars are not causing any nuisance yet. Only at the end of May do the caterpillars spread their stinging hairs, which can cause itching and health problems. Because the caterpillars hatch at different times, the nuisance is also spread over time.
–
Municipalities and companies can already start fighting the caterpillars. A commonly used form of preventive control is spraying nematodes. This is a biological method of control: the nematodes crawl into the larvae, causing the caterpillars to die.
–
