Maine; 2021 Could Be A Bad Year For Brown Tail Moth Rash

The weather conditions have not only been good for ticks to be thriving in Maine this spring, but it has also been good for the browntail moth.  

The browntail moths have been doing well in Maine; they are now found in all of Maine's 16 counties. So they are everywhere. 

They are different from the tent caterpillars but still, in my opinion, just as gross in their tenty little nests in the trees. 

The browntail moth caterpillars are an issue for a few reasons; they can cause damage to the trees by eating the foliage of certain trees, and a nasty rash the hairs from the caterpillar can cause in people. 

If you are one of the people who are sensitive to the hairs from the caterpillars of the browntail moth, it can be like poison ivy and can even cause breathing issues. So be away of that. 

If you find the browntail moth in your trees, the Maine Department of Agriculture says you should cut them out of the tree and burn them. Do NOT burn them while they are in the trees, and do NOT burn them unless you have a burn permit—more about getting a burn permit right here. 

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