POISONOUS: do not handle!
Pine Processionary Caterpillars - Thaumetopoea pityocampa

Have you been wondering what the white fist sized candy floss nests are that are proliferating in the high branches of pine trees around the Aude and Ariege? They look innocent enough - "white and fluffy " but the contents are anything but pleasant. The white fluff is the winter home of the "Pine Processionary Caterpillar" so called because they form processions, nose to tail, as they leave the nest prior to changing into moths. This will be happening any time now. They are found in all Mediterranean climatic areas, ranging from Portugal in the West through to the Adriatic and beyond in the East.

The caterpillars have poisonous and irritant brittle hairs on their bodies, and are a mottled dull brown with faded yellowish splotches.

In adults these hairs will cause severe skin irritations, and occasionally anaphylactic shock, closure of airways leading to death, and obviously requiring immediate medical treatment.

In children, (who are more inquisitive about the processions and may handle the caterpillars then transfer the hairs to their mouth, eyes etc) the effects can be more immediately severe and will almost always require immediate professional medical aid. Similarly, older people with less resistance can also be quickly affected. Golfers, tennis players, footballers and petanque players should be careful NOT to handle a ball that has gone through a procession, golfers should check local rules, some courses permit substitutions.

Balls should be cleaned with disposable cloths which should then be burned.

For pets, dogs and cats, the problem is that the caterpillars have a bittersweet smell and taste, and both dogs and cats will try to eat them. The results are almost certainly fatal, as little as three or four will kill a medium sized dog, and one may produce death in a cat. The reaction to the poison also causes necrosis of the tongue, and by the time the owner notices the problem, it is usually too late for veterinary treatment to do much except ease suffering.

Do not brush a procession away as this can cause more problems than it solves, spreading the irritation-producing hairs and thus the risk of poisoning actually becomes higher as a result.