Dennenprocessierups: Implications for the Environment and Animals

Dennenprocessierups: A New Threat in the Netherlands

The dennenprocessierups is causing concern as it expands its habitat into the Netherlands, having already been spotted in Belgium near the border. Monitoring efforts are in place to track its movement across regions with pheromone traps.

Potential Risks of the Dennenprocessierups

• Similar to oak processionary moths, these caterpillars carry irritating hairs.
• They possess up to a million of these hairs, exacerbating potential allergic reactions.
• Active during February to April, depending on temperatures.

Silvia Hellingman from the Eikenprocessierups Knowledge Center warns of the irritations that can arise when these caterpillars search for burrowing spots, increasing the likelihood of human and animal contact.