Overview
- Warm, dry weather this spring has driven an unusually large, uneven outbreak across regions including Brandenburg, Syke and Bad Wörishofen, with many oaks showing visible nests.
- Municipalities are mapping and marking infested trees and hiring specialist firms to vacuum and remove nests at high‑risk public sites such as schools, playgrounds, parks and sports facilities.
- Health authorities warn the caterpillars' microscopic hairs contain the toxin thaumetopoein and can cause skin rashes, eye irritation and asthma‑like breathing problems even when hairs are airborne or remain in abandoned nests.
- Cities are testing long‑term measures such as installing tit nest boxes to boost bird predation, but officials call this a multi‑year experiment and say clear results are not yet available.
- Local budgets are strained because full treatment of every oak is unaffordable, so residents are urged to heed warning signs, avoid nests, not attempt removals, and shower and wash clothes after suspected contact.