Browntail moth caterpillars have hit this Bangor neighborhood hardest

BANGOR DAILY NEWS • May 31, 2022

Try as individuals and municipalities might to eradicate them, the fact remains that browntail moths are likely going to be a permanent part of the seasonal equation going forward in much of Maine. The problem is the caterpillars, which eat the leaves off trees and have tiny hairs that become airborne and can cause a painful, itchy rash and respiratory problems if inhaled. The caterpillars have long been reported along Maine’s coast, but they’ve since spread inland.