Re: Processionary caterpillars

 

Cali Doxiadis wrote:

I'm afraid I have no solution for those you can't reach (By the way there are special clippers with extensions, worked with a cord for these situations.)  The only effective cure is to cut them off and make a bofire of them.  You'd do well to hurry up because by next month the caterpillars will start trekking all over... They cause skin allergies for many people, including myself, which is how know--itchy hives.      I used to be drenched with vinegar as a child.  These days, phenergan salve works better and is less smelly.
I'm against chemical spray solutions, so if there is one such I wouldn't know about it.
Sorry I can't be more helpful
Cali Doxiadis
Corfu, Greece
(Temporarily
 
 

jillrandall wrote:

I have been lurking for a few weeks now and have been very impressed by the knowledgeable posts. My husband and I recently moved permanently from England to SW France, (450 m up in the Montagne Noire near Carcassonne), and inherited a beautiful garden, I have been reading all I can find on mediterranean gardening  including Mediterranean Gardening by Heidi Gildemeister and The Mediterranean Garden by Hugo Latymer and have joined the MGS.  My problem is that I have a pine tree in excess of 60ft high which has many cobwebby nests hanging from its branches.  I have been told that they belong to processionary caterpillars.  The tree is too tall to spray and too tall  for me to prune the affected branches.  Can anyone suggest how I can rid the tree of its unwelcome visitors. Jill Randall
in NY)

jillrandall wrote:

I have been lurking for a few weeks now and have been very impressed by the knowledgeable posts. My husband and I recently moved permanently from England to SW France, (450 m up in the Montagne Noire near Carcassonne), and inherited a beautiful garden, I have been reading all I can find on mediterranean gardening  including Mediterranean Gardening by Heidi Gildemeister and The Mediterranean Garden by Hugo Latymer and have joined the MGS.  My problem is that I have a pine tree in excess of 60ft high which has many cobwebby nests hanging from its branches.  I have been told that they belong to processionary caterpillars.  The tree is too tall to spray and too tall  for me to prune the affected branches.  Can anyone suggest how I can rid the tree of its unwelcome visitors. Jill Randall
 I used to know of an ecological solution - at least for 25 years- which is bacillus thuringiensis .
I   remember it was sprayed by planes over pine forests but not systematically because it was expensive.
I could get it in Athens in the form of a powder and it was also efficient  against the cabbage caterpillars.
I use Cali's method-a ladder +clippers on extension
regards,
Irini
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