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ArtistAn oak forest in late spring on a warm sunny afternoon. An army of anthropomorphic caterpillars of the oak processionary in parade dress uniforms march in rank and file through the forest.
The oak processionary is a moth whose caterpillars live on oak leaves. The third larval stage has large quantities of uticary hairs called setae. These setae are venemous and can cause irritations in humans. Mass occurence of larvae may present a health hazard to humans. Standard advice is to avoid infected trees and never to handle the larvae without protection.
Infected oaks may loose the entirety of their leaves as a result of the combined feeding activity of the larvae. Healthy oaks can regenerate and produce a second growth of leaves. However, if mass occurence of larvae coincides with other stressors such as drought or is followed by an infection of mildew on the secondary leaves, the oaks might be permanently weakened.
