We rarely notice the moth itself. But the countless larvae that snake close together in their finely woven webs look scary. Does only the affected tree suffer from their voracity, or should humans also fear them?
How dangerous is the web moth for humans?
Both butterflies and caterpillars of the web moth aresafe for humansHowever, they can easily be confused with the oak processionary moth. Its caterpillars cause skin and respiratory irritation. You can clearly distinguish between them based on their strong hair and a dark side line.
Are web moths and their larvae dangerous to humans?
Orbit moths, whether apple tree moths, plum moths or another species, are frequent guests in the home garden. There is therefore enough experience to safely assess their danger to humans. This moth and its caterpillars poseno he alth risk. Even after direct contact, they do not cause any allergic reactions. This pest, which does not really or permanently damage most trees, can therefore be consideredcompletely harmless.
What do the moth moth and caterpillar look like?
- Moths have white-gray forewings
- they are covered in little black dots
- the hindwings are gray
- the wingspan is up to 2.5 cm
- Larvae are dark green to brownish in color
- in the light they appear slightly translucent
- the body is made up of ten sections
- there is a black dot on each segment
- do not wear hair
- when touched they move in a snaking manner
- can abseil from the tree
How do I find out if it's an oak processionary moth?
Larvae of the oak processionary moth also appear in large numbers and spin themselves into webs. There should be no confusion, because oak processionary moth caterpillars have poisonous stinging hairs and can cause skin and respiratory irritation. Striking distinguishing features are:
- Oak processionary moth caterpillars arevery hairy
- they have adark, wide back line
- Web moth caterpillars are hairless
- they have a single point on each segment
In addition, the oak processionary moth is not found on apple trees and other fruit trees, but mainly on oak trees.
Tip
If there is a small web moth infestation, just wait it out
Catering the web moths disappeared as quickly as they came. Infected plants soon sprout new leaves and recover well. There is no need for action unless the infestation is severe and a fruit tree is affected. Then it helps to spray early with neem oil (€12.00 on Amazon) to prevent crop loss.
