Brown tail moth larvae (Euproctis chrysorrhoea) ecology in the UK

The larvae of brown tailed moth are covered in long barbed hairs containing a toxin, which they shed to protect themselves from predation. Because these larvae band together for safety, large numbers of these larvae shedding hairs represent a health hazard to people living in the vicinity. A site of infestation was visited on a number of occasions, larval tents were disassembled, observations were made and findings are discussed.