Oil Beetle: Sun 17 March 2024

[loobyloo]

(on another local expat site recently)

author: Happy new year all🥳🍾 question regarding caterpillars...when would you expect to stop seeing them?
As in when does their season end and it's no worries my dog sniffing away at everything in the woods etc? Cheers!



They are usually between December-March every year ****

google says until May 😞 ****

author: yes seen them about I walk my dog the same walk at the moment around some apartment blocks as there are no pine trees
but I know she'll be wanting to get back in the woods when possible. But not going to do it while they are around for obvious reasons.


Dead or alive...the hairs of the caterpillars are dangerous. The reports I have has is that they are marching on the ground ****

Impossible to call. We rely on word and mouth from dog walkers who inform us when they appear and when they go. This year they seemed to have arrived
very early. I'll just wait until someone gives me the nod that they have gone. ****

[loobyloo]

(on another local expat site recently)



author: Dog walkers: Still caterpillars about in the pinar de hierro






Anyone knows when is the end of season? I thought they are gone already. ****

they can hang around until April ****

Appreciate the update... I was only wondering about that the other day...seems like they are still rife... ****

Still??? Its since december, I am so fed up with these creepers planned to walk my dog there today, expected it to be over, thanks for the post ****

[loobyloo]

(on another local expat site recently)

author: Have I left it too late to get a pine tree sprayed ? I one have a small one but noticed nests this morning



i think its too late ****

[loobyloo]

(on another local expat site recently)

author: I have quite a few of these (photo) in our garden, crawling around in the grass.
Does anybody know what they are? Dangerous for dogs? Thanks.



The Red-striped Oil Beetle – Berberomeloe majalis – Aceitera can reach a length of 6 cm. The basic colour is black with a red or orange stripe crossing each body segment.
The Beetle carries the classic warning colours of black and red with good reason; it is not a creature to be messed with! If an adult beetle feels threatened,
a defence mechanism is to secrete an oily substance that is toxic, hence the common English name of 'Oil Beetle'. ****

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berberomeloe_majalis ****


author: Thanks a lot. But for the dogs' sake I better try to get rid of them