TOWNS all along the Costa take annual measures against the pine processionary caterpillar – a pest that can cause allergic reactions in people and pets – but Estepona has taken the battle a step further, with municipal workers now hand-picking the insects’ nest sacks from trees.
The town hall said last week that the caterpillar larvae’s development has been earlier than usual this year, with some already coming down from the trees in mid-winter, while this usually occurs in late winter or early spring. At their current stage of development the caterpillars cannot be tackled with pesticides, said officials.
