Maine communities will need significant resources to meet the threat posed by this and other toxic pests.
browntail moth
Posted inMaine
Maine lawmakers look to take on voracious browntail moths
New bill would fund more experts and programs to combat the invasive bug that strips trees and causes people to itch all over.
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Posted inMaine
As invasion of browntail moths continues, central Maine towns seek a variety of remedies
Officials are priming their attack plans as the infestation of the moth is expected to continue in the coming years.
Posted inMaine
Waterville city councilor lays out plan for browntail moth mitigation
Councilor Thomas Klepach, D-Ward 3, says Waterville and Maine have not faced a browntail moth outbreak of the current magnitude in more than a century.
Posted inMaine
How browntail moths became such a big problem here in Maine
Efforts to defeat the moth started within days of its discovery in 1897 but, so far, the Old World invader has managed to hang on in New England.
Posted inMaine
Emergence of browntail moths across central Maine shows growing scope of outbreak
While the moths do not pose the same risk as the caterpillars, with their toxic, rash-causing hairs, the moths clearly illustrate the spread of the invasive species into central Maine.
Posted inMaine
Demand for browntail moth remedies spikes as pests’ rash spreads in central Maine
Pharmacies are seeing record-high demand for specialized rash sprays while consumers have also reported empty shelves at some local stores.
Posted inEditorials, Opinion
Our View: Maybe Maine’s pests are trying to tell us something
Ticks, browntail moths and whatever insect died on Wells Beach last week could be signs of a changing climate.
Posted inLewiston-Auburn, Maine
Browntail moth caterpillars already a big nuisance in Androscoggin County
Not only are the number of caterpillars increasing, but researchers are finding populations in central and western Maine for the first time since the caterpillars were identified in the state over 100 years ago.
Posted inMaine
Waterville officials declare public emergency from browntail moth, seek experts to help
The Waterville City Council held an emergency meeting Friday night to declare a public health emergency due to the citywide infestation of browntail moth caterpillars which are causing people to break out in severe rashes and have respiratory problems.