Is your garden or farm plagued by processionary caterpillars and you don't know how to get rid of them? The truth is that with the arrival of warm weather, it is very common for these insects to breed in pine trees and you may even see them come down from these trees and marching in procession - hence their name - on the ground. You should be very careful because the pine processionary causes skin hives and can lead to serious problems for dogs, so in this OneHowTo article we explain how to exterminate pine processionary caterpillars.
The processionary caterpillar or pine processionary (Thaumetopoea pityocampa) is an insect that normally lives in pine trees - although it can also be found on fir trees and cedars - and it can turn into an infestation. Besides the problems it causes to the trees, this lepidoptera species causes skin hives and allergic reactions in humans, as well as being a serious menace to dogs.
Generally, processionary caterpillars come down from pine trees when the weather starts to get warmer and spring approaches, i.e. between February and April. That's when we see them parading one after another as if they were in a procession, which precisely where they get their name from.
The little hairs - called trichomes - that cover the pine processionary result in stinging hives, not only by directly touching them but also when the wind blows these little hairs onto you. Similarly, they are especially dangerous for children and animals who tend to be curious and are more likely to touch the caterpillars that have come down from the trees.
Therefore, it is important to take steps to exterminate processionary caterpillars and their nests, which they build in pine trees, and take action to prevent them multiplying. It is important to be extremely careful when trying to eliminate these pests to prevent their stinging effects.
One of the traditional methods to get rid of caterpillars of the pines is doing it mechanically, i.e, cut down their nests and burn them to prevent these insects from spreading. It is best to remove their nests in the afternoon so that the caterpillars can't rebuild them during the day and then at night they will die because they have no protection against the cold. It is also possible to shoot their nests with special ammunition that will burn their nests.
Another way to kill off processionary caterpillars is by using pheromone traps that will attract these animals and stop them from reaching the ground. This way, they will be trapped in this pest control system and then we can eliminate them more easily.
Also, as a home remedy, it is also possible to put up some kind of physical barrier such as putting plastic cones or rings around the base of the pine trees to stop the pine processionary from spreading.
If you want to exterminate the pine processionary by using phytosanitary treatments, the best thing to do is to hire a pest control company who knows what chemicals you can use to kill pine processionary caterpillars. Similarly, it is essential to use pesticides that won't harm the trees and above all, that won't endanger any other people, animals or the environment.
For more on pest control, find out how to get rid of pests on plants naturally and how to get rid of cockroaches.
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