Overview

• Larval hairs can drift up to 50 meters on the wind and contain thaumetopoein, triggering severe allergic and respiratory reactions in people and dogs.
• Kindergartens, playgrounds, sports fields and public events have been shut across Germany in mid-July to shield residents from toxic caterpillar hairs.
• Specialized pest control firms are operating at full capacity, causing delays in nest suction and nematode treatments.
• Municipalities face steep removal and disposal costs of several hundred to thousands of euros per tree, straining local budgets and resources.
• District authorities, notably in Berlin, are calling for a unified national plan after individual boroughs adopted uneven measures.