Overview
- Hessian municipalities are rolling out early-season treatments, with Frankfurt, Wiesbaden, Gießen and Fulda prioritizing schools, parks and play areas while Marburg reports roughly one in ten oaks affected.
- Darmstadt plans Bacillus thuringiensis spraying on thousands of trees with some areas treated by helicopter from mid April, and Kassel is introducing nematodes across a high‑infestation zone through late spring.
- Forestry and city offices say nests will be removed by specialist crews using industrial vacuums, and Hessen Forst is logging cases in its forest‑health portal for faster response.
- Health agencies warn that the larvae’s microscopic hairs carry the toxin thaumetopoein, which can trigger rashes and breathing problems, and that shed hairs in old nests can stay dangerous.
- Regional updates point to an early build‑up in parts of Brandenburg and continued spread in Rheinland‑Pfalz, while Berlin reports a stable situation as cities nationwide brace for the peak risk window in late spring.