The wings and midsection are solid white on both the male and the female. The females use this brown tuft to cover their eggs when lain. It has become increasingly common in Midcoast Maine and the surrounding areas during the spring and early summer months. Browntail moth populations persist on islands and in coastal areas in southern Maine, extending up the river valleys. The nests often appear in fruit, oak and birch trees and are easy to spot. In the British Isles it most frequently occurs in the south and south east of England.

A browntail moth cocoon, thanks to … Browntail Moth (nest of caterpillars) The moths, which fly at night and are active in July and August ( and are attracted to light ), have a wingspread of about 1.5 inches (36-42 mm). The caterpillar form has the greatest amount of the urticating hairs, used as a defence against predators. Brown-tail Moth populations explode occasionally, and have been doing so for hundreds of years. These days outbreaks seem to be getting more frequent and the moth is spreading inland and northwards. Around 1900 the moth was so rare that some people thought it might disappear.

The wingspan is between 36-42 millimetres, flies at night and is attracted to light. Their nests look like webs, and appear primarily in oak and apple trees.

Newspapers have warned of an invading moth that can pose a risk to human health. It is frequently recorded near the coast but also occurs in open countryside and in gardens. The brown-tail moth (Euproctis chrysorrhoea) is found mostly in southern England and Wales, ... Nests are spun between host twigs in a tent shape. Health warning over invading moth. The first recorded outbreak was in 1720, near Kew outside London. The nests are spun in the early fall, contain 25 to 400 larvae, and remain firmly attached to twigs or small branches through the winter and early spring.The webs are often confused with silken structures formed by … Browntail Moth Rash Spray Browntail Moth Rash is an itchy and uncomfortable rash, similar to poison ivy, that occurs as the result of direct, or indirect contact with the poisonous hairs found on the browntail moth caterpillar. Brown-tail moths have white wings and bodies, apart from a tuft of brown hairs at the end of the abdomen. The Brown-tail moth is found throughout much of Europe and parts of North America. Moths are an important part of our biodiversity and have vital roles in the environment, providing an essential source of food for many other species of wildlife and acting as important pollinators of flowers. “If you see these webs in your trees around your property, we highly suggest that you clip the branch tips from your trees as soon as possible and remove the winter webs before April,” the town said. Image of nest, larvae, caterpillar - 58607421 The media warns that in its caterpillar stage, the oak processionary moth is covered in tiny hairs that can cause severe asthma attacks and allergic reactions. Mainers can now call or text 211 to speak to a specialist about the invasive species that causes heath problems. Larval feeding can cause reduced growth and death in trees and shrubs. These nests are more likely to be placed on the outer branches of trees/shrubs compared to OPM caterpillars, whose nests are always on the trunk or large branches of oak trees. The adult moths fly in a single generation between July and August when they are attracted to light.