Palma Launches Major Preventative Campaign Against Pine Processionary Caterpillars

Anyone who has spent clip connected nan land will beryllium acquainted pinch nan striking yet unsettling show of nan conifer processionary caterpillar – agelong lines of larvae marching crossed pavements and parkland. While it is simply a funny earthy spectacle, it carries hidden dangers for some group – particularly young children – and pets.

The Palma City Council has now rolled retired extended preventative treatments crossed nan metropolis to curb nan emergence of nan seasonal pest. The initiative, coordinated by nan Department of Infrastructure, Accessibility and Industrial Estates, intends to minimise risks up of nan caterpillar’s astir progressive play betwixt January and March.

Endotherapy treatments applied to 2,400 conifer trees citywide

As portion of this year’s campaign, municipal Parks and Gardens teams person carried retired endotherapy treatments connected much than 2,400 conifer trees successful Palma. This method involves injecting a targeted merchandise straight into nan character trunk, allowing nan constituent to move done nan tree’s earthy sap flow. Once distributed passim nan pine, nan curen protects nan character and eliminates caterpillars erstwhile they provender connected nan needles.

The process has been deployed successful parks, greenish zones, and respective Infant and Primary Education Schools (CEIP), arsenic good arsenic successful Bellver, 1 of nan city’s astir densely wooded areas. The assembly stresses that nan activity is preventative, forming nan first statement of defence earlier nan caterpillars statesman to descend from their nests during nan cooler months.

Why nan conifer processionary caterpillar poses a consequence successful Mallorca

The conifer processionary caterpillar – commonly seen moving successful agelong nose-to-tail lines – thrives successful nan Mediterranean climate, making Mallorca peculiarly susceptible each winter. The type builds unique achromatic silk nests successful conifer trees, wherever larvae create earlier descending successful hunt of ungraded to pupate.

For residents and expats surviving successful Mallorca, nan superior interest is nan caterpillar’s urticating hairs, which tin origin terrible irritation to nan skin, eyes, and respiratory system. Pets, particularly dogs, look nan top danger, arsenic interaction tin lead to swelling, ulceration, aliases moreover necrosis. Young children are besides astatine accrued consequence owed to nan caterpillar’s beingness successful nationalist play areas and schoolhouse grounds.

To reenforce safety, nan City Council will complement endotherapy pinch further measures passim nan winter, including nan installation of postulation collars designed to trap caterpillars arsenic they descend nan trunk, preventing them from reaching nationalist paths and playgrounds.

With these mixed efforts, Palma hopes to importantly trim nan beingness of nan (seed) disease during nan coming months, safeguarding some its greenish spaces and nan wellbeing of residents.