Maine Forest Service browntail moth update: Rainy weather a good start for pathogens that attack caterpillars
Browntail moth caterpillar displaying the distinctive two red dots and prickly, toxic hairs, hitchhiking to a new home. (Photo courtesy Maine Forest Service)
Browntail moth caterpillar displaying the distinctive two red dots and prickly, toxic hairs, hitchhiking to a new home. (Photo courtesy Maine Forest Service)
On Friday, April 28, the Maine Forest Service issued a report concerning observations of the browntail caterpillar emergence at the agency’s monitoring sites.
“ It should be noted that although emergence was seen at every site, not every web has had caterpillar emergence,” the Forest Service said. “This is likely because of the recent rainy weather we've been experiencing across the state. Rainy spring weather is a great start for an epizootic outbreak of the pathogens (fungal and viral) that attack browntail caterpillars.
“Although it is still a bit early for the fungus and virus to have a huge impact on the caterpillars, we welcome the coming rain. Rain is also very beneficial to the health of the host trees since the state has had relatively dry spring weather the past few years. These rain events will help invigorate host trees and allow them to tolerate some of the defoliation they will experience.”
