Overview

• Berlin district offices in Spandau, Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf and Pankow have posted warning signs and urged residents to avoid parks and green spaces infested with oak processionary caterpillars.
• The Strandbad Jungfernheide public beach remains closed after toxic caterpillar hairs were carried by wind into the bathing area.
• Health officials warn that the caterpillars’ microscopic hairs can cause severe skin rashes, eye irritation and respiratory distress, especially in children, the elderly and those with breathing disorders.
• Spandau and its neighboring district have drawn up a joint crisis plan and hired specialized removal firms to safely clear nests along pathways, near schools, playgrounds and private properties.
• Nature expert Derk Ehlert says the outbreak should subside by the end of June when the caterpillars complete their development and emerge as non-stinging moths.