be thankful you don't have processionary caterpillars in Uk

Re: be thankful you don't have processionary caterpillars in Uk

Kerry Spain — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 03:56:42 GMT

I hate killing little critters but I have to say ones as irritating as these I don't think I'd have a problem.

I'm trying to find out if there are any hot spots in the U.K. to avoid?

*off out to buy hairspray... oh no wait, it's 4am and no where is open...*

Re: be thankful you don't have processionary caterpillars in Uk

Helen Freer — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 21:41:11 GMT

Just read this , Hope you feel better soon, sleep well, Zen hugs.

Re: be thankful you don't have processionary caterpillars in Uk

fiona eldridge — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 21:38:25 GMT

Thanks ladies. I just got my sister to whack loads of antihistamine cream (dog variety of course!!!) all over my back. Feels coll for 5 mins! I'm taking 1/2 a valium tonight to knock me out so I don't rip my skin to shreads! Luckily i have some left over from my back op!!! ha ha! Good night and sweat dreams to you all!!!

Thanks for the nice comments

Re: be thankful you don't have processionary caterpillars in Uk

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 21:17:18 GMT

Fiona, I really feel for you, I hope you feel better soon

Re: be thankful you don't have processionary caterpillars in Uk

Saskia Quinn — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 21:12:45 GMT

aw Fiona thats awful, poor you!

Have a hug - not too close to your skin though!!!

hope you feel better soon xx

Re: be thankful you don't have processionary caterpillars in Uk

fiona eldridge — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 21:00:29 GMT

I'd love to take a blow torch to the little blighters, but would prob start a bush fire! You can get the trees sprayed and treated when they have the little nests in the trees but as soon as they hatch and take to the ground there's nothing you can do. Boiling water kills em. I had to go to doctors this afternoon and he gave me an antihistamine and cortisone inj, and antihistamine tablets, and have to go back for another tommorow. My back is a mess, back of my leg, chest, and odd splots on arms! The dr was convinced I had a bad case of shingles! I'm caked in antihistamine cream and holding back on scratching off all my skin! aaaaaahhhhhhhhh!!!! wish we had camomile lotion here!!!

Re: be thankful you don't have processionary caterpillars in Uk

Saskia Quinn — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:57:00 GMT

ignore my previous post - have just read Kerry's link

nasty buggers

Re: be thankful you don't have processionary caterpillars in Uk

Saskia Quinn — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:53:26 GMT

[quote user="STRVN"]

Fiona, I dont know if you read Kerrys link to the newspaper article, but apparently at the botanic gardens, they spray them first with hairspray before killing them...... with blow torches, so that the fine hairs do not manage to escape and land on unsuspecting people.

[/quote]

their fine hairs can do so much damage?

Re: be thankful you don't have processionary caterpillars in Uk

Dippy — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 20:49:36 GMT

My various friends with pets in Cyprus have been putting out warnings about processionary caterpillars for the past week or so too - seen a few photos of what they can do and it doesn't look nice!

Re: be thankful you don't have processionary caterpillars in Uk

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 13:12:36 GMT

Re: be thankful you don't have processionary caterpillars in Uk

Kerry Spain — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 12:04:16 GMT

Oh NO! Poor you!

Re: be thankful you don't have processionary caterpillars in Uk

fiona eldridge — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 09:38:32 GMT

Brillant update... after telling you the lovely story about the chihuahua. Last night I got home to find a lovely procession of caterpillars on the pathway behind my house. I poured bleach and boiling water on the little blighters to kill them but didn't realise they were in the bush behind me too. Cut a long story short all down the back of my leg and all over my back is now covered in a raised itchy burning rash.......... pesky pesky caterpillars! These pine tree caterpillars are a lot more dangerous than the oak ones (we have a dutch vet so we were talking about it!) So just beware if you're in Spain!!!!

Re: be thankful you don't have processionary caterpillars in Uk

Kerry Spain — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 00:28:29 GMT

HAHAHA electric fire... I ended up head first in a lawnmower collecting bucket becuse I was interested in lawn mower clippings when I was about 2 yrs old! Nappy in full bloom haha.

Re: be thankful you don't have processionary caterpillars in Uk

Caro Laithwaite VN — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 23:37:50 GMT

There is a similar caterpillar in zim. It is very hairy, does parading at certain times of the year and makes webs to pupate in. I do not remember hearing about the problem with animals though or just cause there was a lot of snakes and other nasties they learnt from their mothers and other animals to avoid things they did not know.

Although not kids. , you guessed it, I was always told to not touch, I always respected that no matter how curious l was, well until l was at least 6 then l grabbed a handful of hairy caterpillars nesting to see how soft they are. I leave you to visualise the resultant scream and several weeks removing hairs from my hand and salves etc.

The good news that when l grabbed the glowing red bar on the electric fire at least l did not get hairs in my fingers.

l better quit this before l look more than a total plank.

Seriously though that does not sound good about animals and throats etc, will keep an eye open for the hairys.

Re: be thankful you don't have processionary caterpillars in Uk

Louise B — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 23:09:01 GMT

Urgh. I will avoid like the plague. As a child, I was once rushed to hospital after reacting to touching a caterpillar that looked very much like this one. It was circa 1983, a very hot summer and we had an invasion of caterpillars that triggered reactions in lots of people. Not good.

Re: be thankful you don't have processionary caterpillars in Uk

Sandra Taylor RVN, MBVNA — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 14:44:48 GMT

OMG, thats scary.I have just read the newspaper article too

Re: be thankful you don't have processionary caterpillars in Uk

Kerry Spain — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 10:00:22 GMT

Gosh thats really interesting I've never heard of them before, sadly I've just found an article which says they are already in the U.K!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-461850/Caterpillar-kill-spreading-Britain.html

Re: be thankful you don't have processionary caterpillars in Uk

Maisy — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 21:24:52 GMT

OMG! Thats awful, poor little dog!

Re: be thankful you don't have processionary caterpillars in Uk

S-J — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 21:20:46 GMT

oh my god it sounds like a horror film