Hairy caterpillars ravaging Western Australia forests

[Barrett808]

Up to 250,000ha of the State's jarrah and marri forests is under attack from an army of hairy caterpillars.

The creatures, known as gum-leaf skeletonizers, have stripped bare sections of the southern jarrah forest.

Department of Environment and Conservation entomologist Janet Farr said the outbreak was only the second recorded in WA history and had been linked to global warming.

She said it had affected an area similar in size to the peak of the previous outbreak that began in 1983 and lasted nine years. ...

Hairy caterpillars ravaging Western Australia forests

[phantom power]

1. that sounds bad

[hatrack]

2. With a name like "Gum-Leaf Skeletonizer", how could it be otherwise?

Seriously, sounds like a bad guy in Pokemon or Transformers.

[phantom power]

3. You have been targeted for skeletonization.

yikes

:hide:

[A Simple Game]

4. They look a lot like our tent caterpillars which can also be devastating. nt