Imogen Calderwood
A PLAGUE of the infamous processionary caterpillars has left 300 cyclists seeking medical treatment in Sevilla.
The city’s traditional bike ride to La Corchuela park – in celebration of Andalucia Day – was interrupted by the caterpillars, that have been spotted across the region.
More than 200 cyclists were attended by emergency medical units at the park, suffering from allergic reactions to the caterpillars.
The nearby ‘Nuestra Senora de la Nieves’ health centre attended to a further 90 cyclists with the same allergic symptoms over the weekend.
The first deputy mayor of Los Palacios, Carmen Maria Molina, has demanded ‘an urgent explanation from those responsible for La Corchuela park for what happened’, claiming that the park authorities did not alert them to the presence of the caterpillars.
The chief of emergencies at the town hall visited the park the week before the event but was still not warned about the caterpillars.
These guys aren’t hard to spot, their name is a clue! Give ’em a wide berth or suffer, do NOT mess in any way with them.
It would be interesting to know what kind of allergic reaction these cyclists had. I knew that these caterpillars were dangerous to dogs but I did not know that humans could react badly to them as well.
I’ve purchased a book from V Jay Sign it’s called Poisionus creatures of the Mediteranian. It mentions these caterpillars in it and many more. X
Don’t know the actual chemistry Jane, but it’s the hairs of the pesky critters that do the damage. They detach very easily, they are super-light and carry on the air for a great distance. You don’t want those in your mucous membranes.
Perhaps the caterpillars took offence to all the lycra on display?