Brown-tail moth caterpillars should not be touched with a bare hand, according to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). The native insects are covered in hairs that can cause intense skin irritation and breathing difficulties when they pierce the skin.
It comes after a four-year-old boy developed hives and a rash after playing with a brown-tail moth caterpillar, as reports the Liverpool Echo. Mother Caroline Gel is now warning other parents against allowing their children to touch the insects.
But, generally speaking, gardeners need not worry too much – the caterpillars are an important part of the ecosystem and should be tolerated where possible. Despite causing a visible loss of leaves on trees and shrubs, the RHS says the caterpillars usually have "little impact" on growth.
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In cases where the caterpillars are considered a public health risk, the RHS says households can encourage their natural predators – such as birds, ground beetles and hedgehogs – into their gardens. It may also be possible to prune out infested shoots but this should be done wearing rubber gloves. Pesticides should only be used as a last resort and, if so, in a "minimal and highly targeted manner".
How can I identify a brown-tail moth caterpillar?
Brown-tail moths are usually seen in their caterpillar stage between April and July. They can be identified by two raised reddish dots at the rear of the body.
They grow up to three centimetres long and are black in colour with a white band along the sides. Their silk nests (pictured) are weaved in summer and are often seen on members of the Rosaceae family, such as hawthorn, plum and rose.
