BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 17, 2021
More and more Mainers are under siege on their own properties and in their communities. They’re being terrorized, not by violent extremists or fear of a deadly virus. They’re being terrorized by caterpillars. The browntail moth is a formidable, if localized, foe. The caterpillar stage of this invasive species sports poisonous hairs that can cause a painful, poison ivy-like rash and respiratory problems. The insect also defoliates trees. Policymakers should revisit ideas like providing state funding to further study the problem and support municipal browntail mitigation efforts. The three state agencies conducting the work on the ground should do everything they can to build on existing work to collaborate with each other and with local officials, and bring the public along in the process.