Differences pine processionary caterpillar and oak processionary caterpillar
Are you bothered by the oak processionary caterpillar this summer? Then we have bad news: the pine processionary caterpillar is probably slowly coming to the Netherlands. This caterpillar has more stinging hairs than the oak processionary caterpillar, which may cause even more complaints.
The pine processionary caterpillar is native to Southern Europe, Central Europe and North Africa. The caterpillar has now been observed in Belgium and has also been seen at the Dutch border. So it seems to be a matter of time before the caterpillar actually comes to the Netherlands.
As the name implies, the pine processionary caterpillar resides in pine trees. The caterpillars spin a nest in the winter that they leave again in the spring. The butterflies come out in the summer months, between June and September, so you can probably (in the future) suffer from complaints from the pine processionary caterpillar earlier in the year than from the oak processionary caterpillar.
Complaints pine processionary caterpillar
The pine processionary caterpillar has more stinging hairs than the infamous oak processionary caterpillar. Where the oak processionary caterpillar about 700,000 hairs, the pine processionary caterpillar has hundreds of thousands to even a million. As with the oak processionary caterpillar, the hairs can cause complaints such as itching, rash, tightness and even fever. Because the pine processionary caterpillar has more hair, you may experience even more complaints, but that does not have to be the case.
Henk Jans, medical advisor and chairman of the Dutch Association for Medical Environmental Sciences, tells EditieNL that the complaints are the same. “The pine processionary caterpillar does indeed have more hairs, but on such a large number it does not matter much.”
Prevent complaints
There is also good news: in the Netherlands there are not that many pine trees compared to oak trees. Where you see oak trees on practically every street corner, you usually only come across pine trees in certain nature reserves. Jans can therefore not say with certainty whether the pine processionary caterpillar will come to our country. “As far as I know, there are few places in Limburg, Brabant and Zeeland where it is full of pine trees. So the Netherlands is safe in that regard.”
Prevention is of course always better than cure. If the pine processionary caterpillar does indeed come here, it is important to take the same precautions as with the oak processionary caterpillar.
Tips for complaints by pine processionary caterpillar
If you If you have come into contact with the stinging hairs of the pine processionary caterpillar, you will probably benefit from the same tips as with the oak processionary caterpillar:
- Eand take a (warm) shower.
- dWash stinging hairs from your clothing.
- JStrip the skin with adhesive tape or a clothes roller.
- Rinse the skin or eyes with lukewarm water.
- Ndo not scratch or rub, but lubricate with an ointment or cream with menthol, aloe vera or calendula.
- huhewe fever pills (antihistamines) can also work against the itching.
The symptoms usually go within a few days to two weeks. If this is not the case, mthen make an appointment with your doctor. Contact your doctor immediately if you have symptoms of shortness of breath or thick lips, then you may have an allergic reaction.
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