German Municipalities Battle Toxic Caterpillar Surge as Costs Spike and Parks Close
Published on 06/14/2026 at 10:03 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
An unusually warm spring has unleashed a record infestation of toxic caterpillars across Germany, forcing cities to shut parks and sports facilities while grappling with soaring cleanup bills. In Bremen alone, authorities recorded nearly 900 infested trees—a sharp jump from last year—and the pest is now spreading across the entire urban area, with no remaining local hotspots.
The health risk is immediate. The caterpillars’ barbed hairs can trigger itching, skin rashes, and respiratory distress. Berlin has already closed six sports facilities and postponed public events. In the Swiss canton of Schaffhausen, hiking trail sections were shut down after the oak processionary moth (EPS) was found in several municipalities. Experts warn that the hairs remain active in the environment for up to two years. The current larval stage, which poses the acute danger, is expected to persist until the end of August, and the hazard may intensify until pupation ends in June.
Municipal finances are taking a heavy blow. Berlin’s districts estimate that each of them will spend more than 500,000 euros on control measures, and they have demanded financial support from the state senate. A coordination meeting between the senate and the districts is scheduled for next Tuesday to discuss centralized management and funding. In Dessau-Roßlau, officials budgeted around 200,000 euros to treat roughly 6,000 oak trees using biocides, drones, and helicopters. Smaller communities like Welver in North Rhine-Westphalia rely on their municipal yards and specialized contractors, prioritizing nest removal at kindergartens, schools, and playgrounds.
Franconia is also severely affected. Cities such as Nuremberg, Würzburg, Coburg, and Schwabach report massive infestations. In Nuremberg, the responsible authorities are already overwhelmed, and residents seeking treatment face waiting times of about two weeks. Meanwhile, in Düsseldorf, preventive measures appear to have worked: around 750 oaks were treated in May with a biological oil suspension, and the city has not yet confirmed any cases.
Different strategies are in play elsewhere. Braunschweig has removed 200 nests using a suction procedure, after confirming 28 infestations. In the Prignitz district and in Ludwigslust-Parchim, helicopters were deployed to treat a combined area spanning 610 hectares—just the Prignitz portion alone.
Nature reserves present a particular challenge. In the Drömling, a protected area on the border between Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt, an unusually strong caterpillar outbreak has been recorded between Helmstedt and Wolfsburg. Because active chemical control is often forbidden in such zones, forest authorities can only erect warning signs and urge visitors to stay on paved paths.
Authorities are asking citizens to report sightings with precise location details to their local health or environmental office. Removal work should be left exclusively to professional pest-control firms.
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