This Thursday, June 8 from 7:30 to 9:30 AM – Castle Hill – N
The processionary caterpillar attacks the needles of conifers. Besides weakening the plants, the insect poses a danger to residents because it is equipped with allergenic stinging hairs that can cause skin, eye, or even respiratory issues. These are also harmful to animals (necrosis).
To address this public health issue, the City of Nice employs various control methods such as microbiological treatments, mechanical control by removing nests, and the installation of eco-traps.
Last year, to effectively combat the problem across the entire city, including hard-to-access sites such as peri-urban forests or natural areas like Castle Hill and Mont-Boron, the City of Nice decided, in collaboration with the company NUFARM, specialized in treatment products, to initiate a specific scientific trial for the treatment of the pine processionary caterpillar using a method known as “sexual confusion” on Castle Hill. This method involves applying wax balls containing micro-encapsulated pheromones with a paintball launcher. This ecological and innovative method allows for the wax to be deposited, notably on the tree trunks. The pheromone contained in this wax disorients the male moths, preventing them from mating. The absence of egg-laying will thus limit the population of processionary caterpillars next winter.
