DANGEROUS CATERPILLARS

At the moment there are brown hairy caterpillars in gardens, fields and forests. There are two types:

The March or Woolly Bear Caterpillar and the Eastern Pine Processionary Caterpillar (the ones that join in long chains).

These should NOT be touched with bare hands, nor should dogs be allowed to sniff around them as they are extremely dangerous. The Eastern Pine Processionary Caterpillar is especially dangerous, as it has hollow hairs that contain toxins that can cause severe allergic skin irritation.

 The hairs of the caterpillars can give skin irritation and have a particularly bad effect on dogs that stick their noses into the cluster.
 
To clarify, these are often misidentified as the Eastern Pine Processionary Caterpillar (Thaumetopoea wilkinsoni). These are the caterpillars seen in pine tress (see fourth image) and they have hairs that are hollow and filled with an irritating toxin. When touched the hairs abrade or penetrate the skin and toxin enters the body, resulting in very severe skin irritation.

March or Woolly Bear - Adult female - wingless and unable to fly - laying eggs

March or Woolly Bear Caterpillars

March or Woolly Bear - Adult male

Eastern Pine Processionary Caterpillars