PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • May 13, 2024
Browntail moth caterpillars might be facing their own zombie apocalypse in Maine this spring, which would provide relief to people who get the itchy rash caused by the insect’s microscopic hairs. The caterpillars are emerging now, and people are most likely to come into contact with the airborne hairs between mid-May and late June. Angela Mech, assistant professor of forest entomology for the University of Maine, said an unusual combination of conditions – including a roaming horde of “zombie caterpillars” last fall – might trigger a collapse in browntail moth populations this year.