Insect Infestation Spreads Across Berlin

(MENAFN) A worsening infestation of oak processionary moth caterpillars is sweeping across Berlin, forcing authorities to close parks, sports facilities, and pedestrian routes amid mounting health warnings, German media has reported.

The pest — scientifically identified as Thaumetopoea processionea — poses no threat in its adult moth form, but its caterpillars, which emerge annually between May and July, develop hundreds of thousands of microscopic toxic hairs capable of traveling up to 200 meters on the wind. Contact can cause skin rashes, eye irritation, and respiratory complications. In the most serious cases, exposure triggers severe allergic reactions or anaphylactic shock.

According to media, authorities and park operators have rolled out warnings across Berlin and Potsdam, cordoning off infested zones and imposing temporary shutdowns on parks, sports grounds, and public walkways.

While the infestation has been advancing across the German capital for several years, officials say this summer has brought a marked escalation, with multiple districts recording sharp increases in the number of affected trees.

The worst-affected areas are Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, Treptow-Köpenick, Steglitz-Zehlendorf, and Spandau — districts characterized by extensive oak-lined streets and green spaces that provide ideal conditions for the caterpillar to spread.

Residents are being urged to avoid contact with any white, silken nests visible on oak trees and to seek medical attention if symptoms develop following outdoor exposure.

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