Poisonous Caterpillar Invasion! The Browntail Moths Invade Maine

 

Maine residents fend off poisonous caterpillars 

While parts of the country deal with swarms of cicadas this summer, Maine is struggling with an infestation of an invasive species of caterpillar with poisonous hairs that can cause people to develop painful rashes and even breathing problems. The caterpillars, known as browntail moths, are about 1.5 inches long and have white dashes down their sides and two red dots on their backs. Browntail moths are most common along Maine’s coast and on Cape Cod, but they have been spotted this year in all of Maine’s 16 counties, said Jim Britt, a spokesman for the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. “People are finding them everyplace: on the ground, on the picnic table, on the electrical box, on the corner — you name it,” Britt said. “They are heavily present. Folks will see them all over.” “We are in the midst of an outbreak,” he said. Source