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Larry Dapsis, an entomologist with the Cape Cod Cooperative Extension.
HYANNIS – A local insect expert recently said that a rash-causing insect present in the region should not become a major concern for Cape Cod residents.
“Browntail moths on the Cape isn’t something that’s going to overrun us. It’s pretty much something that’s confined to the National Seashore,” Barnstable County Entomologist Larry Dapsis said.
Even if there won’t be an invasive wave of the moths in the area anytime soon, Dapsis said they can still lead to irritating symptoms in people who come across them.
According to Dapsis, browntail moths start out as caterpillars similar to gypsy moths. The bugs are very hairy, and their hair is what can lead to problems for people who come in contact with the insects.
“If you are exposed to the hairs of that caterpillar, it will give you something that looks like poison ivy symptoms, very irritating and itchy,” Dapsis said.
A recent study on the pests demonstrated warming fall temperatures due to climate change have been a factor in their growing population numbers in Maine’s forests.
By Brian Engles, CapeCod.com NewsCenter
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