Treatment against poisonous caterpillars.
Credit: Ayuntamiento de Estepona.
Estepona council is carrying out works to eliminate Pine Processionary caterpillar from the pine trees in the town.
Autumn is a time when the poisonous Pine Processionary typically rears its head causing concern to all who need pass under the trees. The caterpillar is typified by its tendency to proceed down trees and through the streets in nose-to-tail columns, protected from predators by their poisonous hairs.
As well as a danger to curious dogs wanting to sniff at the strange creatures, they are a risk to human passers-by too as the wriggly pests can sometimes fall from trees onto people below, causing a nasty allergic reaction.
2,800 injections in trees around Estepona
To combat this bug, the council is applying a total of 2,800 injections in trees around Estepona. So far, they have concentrated their efforts mostly in parks, and near and around schools and medical centres. The application of the pest control products is carried out through endotherapy, an alternative method of phytosanitary treatment for urban trees with low environmental impact since it does not emit chemicals into the environment.
Additionally, it is fast, simple and without investment in costly machinery, and it also saves in water and energy consumption. Operators from the parks and gardens department of the council have received specific training in the safe application of the product used.
