BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 11, 2021
The worst season yet for the browntail moth hasn’t spared Bangor, with residents reporting rashes and the city preparing to take action as kids gear up to participate in summer camps. Browntail moth caterpillars have long been reported along Maine’s coast, but this appears to be the first time in recent memory that they’ve become prevalent across Penobscot County, according to experts. Contact with the caterpillars’ tiny, poisonous hairs can cause skin irritation comparable to poison ivy that can last several weeks. Respiratory problems can also occur.