Browntail moth caterpillars are emerging from webs

MAINE PUBLIC • May 2, 2022

Browntail moth caterpillars are starting to emerge from their winter webs, and both the Maine CDC and the state Forest Service are advising people to take precautions as they head outdoors. The caterpillars shed tiny hairs that can cause poison ivy-like rashes and breathing problems if inhaled. The hairs remain toxic for three years and can be stirred up by mowing, raking, and sweeping. Over the past two years, evidence of webs have been found in every county in Maine.