Playgrounds and sports facilities across Berlin are being cordoned off as authorities battle a growing infestation of oak processionary caterpillars. The tiny pests, which can cause skin irritation and breathing problems, have spread across all 12 districts of the German capital, prompting local leaders to demand urgent action.
Health Risks from Microscopic Hairs
Each caterpillar is covered in hundreds of thousands of microscopic hairs that can be carried by the wind and trigger allergic reactions in people and animals. The infestation has already forced the cancellation of a summer festival at the Jungfernheide family centre and led to restrictions in popular green spaces including Görlitzer Park, where barbecues have been temporarily banned.
Call for Public Health Declaration
District authorities have now written jointly to the Berlin Senate calling for the outbreak to be treated as a public health hazard rather than simply a plant protection issue. They are urging greater funding and city-wide coordination to tackle the problem, with schools, playgrounds, daycare centres and sports facilities identified as priorities.
Control Measures and Wider Context
Control measures include vacuuming up nests and removing them using hot water and high-pressure foam systems. Last month, a warning was issued by Woking Council warning people to avoid the same breed of caterpillars. The US is dealing with its own spread of a parasitic worm called the New World screwworm, which can kill fully-grown cows in less than two weeks and was found in Texas.
