{"id":58140,"date":"2026-06-08T02:03:25","date_gmt":"2026-06-08T02:03:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/58140\/"},"modified":"2026-06-08T02:03:25","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T02:03:25","slug":"are-there-any-dangerous-caterpillars-in-the-uk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/58140\/","title":{"rendered":"Are There Any Dangerous Caterpillars In The UK?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Government has issued<\/a> a warning on oak processionary moth caterpillars \u201cahead of peak season\u201d. <\/p>\n

They have said it\u2019s important for the public to \u201cstay vigilant\u201d as the \u201cpest\u201d begins to make its hairy way onto oak trees. <\/p>\n

Not only can they harm the iconic trees, which The Tree Council<\/a> has described as being \u201cunder threat\u201d in the UK, but they can also cause irritation \u201cand should not be touched under any circumstances\u201d, the Government said<\/a>. <\/p>\n

What are oak processionary moth caterpillars? <\/p>\n

They\u2019re the caterpillar, or the younger stage, of the oak processionary moth.<\/p>\n

The Forestry Commission\u2019s Oak Processionary Moth Programme Manager, Dr Edward Straw,<\/a> said we might see more of these than usual as \u201cThe warm weather in spring has led to oak processionary moth growing quicker than in previous years and we may see higher infestation levels\u201d. <\/p>\n

How can I spot an oak processionary moth caterpillar?<\/p>\n

They\u2019re about 2-3cm-long caterpillars with a grey body and a dark head with lengthy, white hairs. They usually form a nose-to-tail formation in groups as they travel down oak trees.<\/p>\n

They have nests which the Government has said<\/a> are usually teardrop-shaped or dome-shaped and can range from the size of a 50p coin to that of a melon. These look white at first, but can turn brown later on. <\/p>\n

Forest Research said<\/a> that while the invasive oak processionary caterpillar looks like harmless native species \u2013 including the lackey moth<\/a> and brown tail moth<\/a> caterpillars \u2013 there are ways to distinguish the \u201cpest\u201d from the rest.<\/p>\n

They said, \u201d(The) oak processionary moth feeds only on oak and produces large nests on oak trunks and large branches from May onwards. Hairy caterpillars which are not on oak or are not associated with a silk nest are almost certainly not (oak processionary moths)\u201d.<\/p>\n

Where are oak processionary moths found in the UK? <\/p>\n

They\u2019re usually found in the South-West of the UK.<\/p>\n

Professor Nicola Spence, Defra Chief Plant Health Officer, said<\/a>: \u201cI would advise that members of the public living in the South East, Derbyshire and Dorset, avoid any contact with the caterpillar and its nests, as this can cause irritation\u201d.<\/p>\n

Why are oak processionary moths bad? <\/p>\n

Firstly, they feed on the leaves of oak trees, which means they can hamper the trees\u2019 growth. This can leave them more vulnerable to disease.<\/p>\n

Secondly, the tiny hairs on the caterpillars\u2019 bodies can \u201ccause itchy rashes, eye and throat irritation and should not be touched under any circumstances,\u201d said the Government. <\/p>\n

What should I do if I see an oak processionary moth caterpillar?<\/p>\n

Firstly, don\u2019t touch them. Don\u2019t even touch the nest, the government warned, as this could contain the irritating hairs. <\/p>\n

Secondly, report any sightings so experts can keep track of the caterpillars.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you spot the pest, report the sighting via our TreeAlert portal<\/a>. Alternatively, you can email opm@forestrycommission.gov.uk<\/a>,\u201d Dr Straw<\/a> said. <\/p>\n

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS)<\/a> also said that \u201cDue to the irritant hairs, control of this insect should only be carried out by professional contractors\u201d. <\/p>\n

What if I touch an oak processionary moth?<\/p>\n

The government previously said<\/a>, \u201cif you or someone in your care has a serious allergic reaction, get medical help. For less severe reactions, a pharmacist can provide advice on relief from skin or eye irritations.\u201d<\/p>\n

They also say that \u201cif an animal in your care is seriously affected, get advice from a vet\u201d, and warn to \u201cTell the medical person or vet you suspect it is due to OPM [oak processionary moth] contact.\u201c<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Government has issued a warning on oak processionary moth caterpillars \u201cahead of peak season\u201d. They have said…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":58141,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[4],"tags":[23439,5,6,2438],"class_list":["post-58140","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-uk","tag-trees","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-wildlife"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@UnitedKingdom\/116712033734569481","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58140","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=58140"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58140\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/58141"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=58140"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=58140"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=58140"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}