Early halloween in the dunes.

in #nature6 years ago

This week, we have beautiful weather in The Netherlands. So I took my bike for a short ride to beach.
The last part, I walked through the dunes, to get to the sea.
I saw something strange in the distance. I saw white trees. Because the temperature has been above 20 degrees for a long time, it could not be snow.
When I came closer, I saw that the trees were white because of a kind of spiderwebs.
It looks like halloween in the dunes.

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50 meters of spiderwebs in different kind of trees. How bizar.

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Curious about who made these webs, I start looking in the spiderwebs. I found these little caterpillars.

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Because I felt itchy after a couple of minutes, I did not stay long overthere.
On my way back on my bike, I was still thinking about this natural phenomenon. My head was full of questions

  • where do these caterpillars come from?
  • is it harmful for humans and trees?
  • do all these caterpillars become butterflies?
  • why only in this small part of the dunes and not everywere?

If you know the answers, or have more information, please let me know.

Have a nice day.

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Dear @kakkalama,

Caterpillars come from butterflies wich laid their eggs on this vegetation.
After periods of eating and growing these caterpillars will become buterflies.
These butterflies are going to mate and lay eggs wich will hatch next year.

Yes it is harmfull for this plants. All their leaves are going to be eaten.
There is a big change the plant is going to die.

I think you have seen the oak processionary (Thaumetopoea processionea), this kind of caterpillars are causing human health problems. They are a human irritant because of their poisonous setae (hairs), which can cause skin irritation and asthma.

Lot’s of love,
Ray #lifeisforliving

Thanx for your answer mate. I think you deserve a pina colada

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