Catapilla Killa
May 25, 2006 @ 5:09 pm
Yes, those are caterpillars. Williamstown is completely infested. If you've ever seen Kingdom of the Spiders you'll understand just what it's like.
They're climbing trees, cars, my house, railings, light poles, anything in search of food. You can't walk around without running into them hanging by threads from the trees, buildings, etc. Or, they're running across the sidewalks at a pretty good clip, but not fast enough to avoid getting stepped on by the thousands.
For a while the college was using an environmentally friendly bacteria to spray the caterpillars with. But that didn't really stop them, so they've switched to a neurotoxin insecticide for areas of campus that will be used for commencement.
It occured to me that you could make a killing selling umbrellas to parents at commencement, not for the sun or the rain, but to keep the caterpillars off. Suddenly sitting under a tree, normally prime real estate, doesn't look so appealing.
As my friend Jessica pointed out, the worst part is the paranoia they instill. I spend all day at work swatting at every faint itch, every twitch of my hair, thinking that it's a caterpillar crawling on me. And occasionaly, it is. Send help!
Replies: 11 Comments
That's...alarming.
Eva said on May 25, 2006 @ 7:01 pm
Yeah. You can blame global warming, supposedly. The mild winters and earlier springs lead more caterpillars to survive and hatch earlier, before their natural predators arrive. Or so they say. Personally, I blame the nuclear tests of the 50s and 60s for awakening these monsters. Or was that Godzilla?
Nick Baker said on May 25, 2006 @ 7:33 pm
do all these caterpillers turn into beautiful butterflies? because that day would be freaky. Hitchcocks 'the birds' but with pretty coloured dainty things... *everywhere* keep me informed on trip plans! I've been looking at flying to Cairns and tripping from there... m.
mirnanda said on May 25, 2006 @ 9:12 pm
dude, those suckers are tent worms, so no pretty butterflies for you! say goodbye to your nice foliage..Michigan gets cycles of infestations of these things, unless I'm completely mistaken. which is possible, but not likely ;)
april said on May 26, 2006 @ 12:13 pm
this photo reminds me of my new jersey childhood. these were everywhere! we called them gypsy moths (even the caterpillars, we called gypsy moths). one bit me once. one year it was so bad that everyone put these sticky bands around the trunks of their trees to prevent the moths from climbing up and eating the leaves. here, you can learn more! "The gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar, is one of North America's most devastating forest pests."
laura said on May 27, 2006 @ 11:17 am
Oh my God. That is THE MOST DISGUSTING THING I have ever seen. I am going to be uncomfortable all day. *shiver*
nancy said on May 28, 2006 @ 11:49 am
EWWWWWWWWW YUCK YUCK YUCK YUCK!!!!!!!!!
eliz said on May 30, 2006 @ 4:57 pm
Yeah, their cocoons are all over my dad's house. Over the weekend, when I was visiting, I teased my sister by throwing twigs at her neck and shouting, "Oh my God!" and gasping repeatedly. It was truly fun.
Allison said on May 31, 2006 @ 1:13 pm
The worst part is when you can actually hear them in the trees. It sounds like rain falling on the leaves, but it's just thousands and thousands of caterpillars eating and excreting. It's a really weird sensation, hearing what sounds like rain coming from a tree with not a cloud in sight.
Nick Baker said on May 31, 2006 @ 5:03 pm
SICK!
srah said on May 31, 2006 @ 10:31 pm
My bubu(Baily) thinks is cool.But I(trix)think it is an ugly & crazy. Love,trix
trix said on April 6, 2007 @ 12:29 pm
