Families boycott Bradford park as mystery insects infest trees (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)
Get involved: send your pictures, video, news and views by texting TANEWS to 80360, or email
Frizinghall park 'looks like a horror film'
7:30am Monday 16th May 2011 in Frizinghall
By Kathie Griffiths, T&A Reporter
Buy this photo »
Moth larvae surround a tree in Shipley Fields Road, Frizinghall
Shocked visitors say a “disgusting” caterpillar infestation that has invaded a city park – stripping trees bare – is like something from a horror movie.
Experts say it is impossible to rule out the possibility that the grey moth larvae could spread, casting its destructive sticky webs.
Pest controllers are trying to identify what type of larvae it is, but it is widely known that some types of larvae are totally immune to pesticides and sprays.
Leaves on blossom trees surrounding a park in Shipley Fields Road at Frizinghall have been stripped and the bark eaten away by thousands of the creatures.
Horrified families are boycotting the spot because the squirming sight makes them feel sick.
One of those staying well away is driving instructor Abdul Rehman, 58, whose family live nearby.
He said: “It’s a fright to look at. It’s been invaded by these creatures, they are disgusting and are everywhere. They’ve stripped the trees bare.
“Giant cobwebs are all over the place, it’s like something out of a horror film. It’s disgusting. I won’t go anywhere near it now and I’ve told others to stay away. It’s making people feel sick just seeing it.”
Bradford Council’s pest control manager Dennis Shipway said although the moth larvae looked pretty horrific, they were harmless to people.
“The recent prolonged period of warm weather created ideal temperatures for the larvae to grow, which explains why there is so much of it,” he said.
“We are looking to see if there is a pesticide that can be safely applied without causing harm to other animals and birds, which will eat the larvae. Letting nature take its course would last three to four weeks."
- Read the full story in Monday's T&A
Comments(11)
yorkshirenews
says...
8:46am Mon 16 May 11
As for the adults who want them spraying with poison . Go watch TV or something else and stay away from reality.
Mekon
says...
12:31pm Mon 16 May 11
188650/Thousands-mar
auding-caterpillars-
trap-car-silky-web.h
tml
glue ear
says...
7:53pm Mon 16 May 11
John Philips
says...
8:19pm Mon 16 May 11
glue ear wrote:You shouldn't have been acting in an Islamophobic and racist manner.
brings back memories does this park . i was chased by about 15 asian lads, well i was white......
doctor feelgood
says...
9:20pm Mon 16 May 11
glue ear wrote:what colour are you now?
brings back memories does this park . i was chased by about 15 asian lads, well i was white......
John Philips
says...
9:44pm Mon 16 May 11
doctor feelgood wrote:Purple.
glue ear wrote:what colour are you now?
brings back memories does this park . i was chased by about 15 asian lads, well i was white......
.
Why?
sezzie
says...
11:22pm Mon 16 May 11
dan155
says...
10:04am Tue 17 May 11
yorkshirenews wrote:It isn't a wild forest or a nature reserve, it's a park. It exists to appeal to the aesthetic taste of Humans and to give their offspring somewhere to play, we have no obligation to let it become overgrown with weeds or any critter that we find unappealing.
What a fantastic opportunity for children to learn about how we share the earth with other species.
As for the adults who want them spraying with poison . Go watch TV or something else and stay away from reality.
Johnny0532
says...
1:56pm Wed 18 May 11
thebaldibis
says...
2:21am Sat 21 May 11
The caterpillars are harmless and not a health and safety issue at all.
Fact #2
They have not been eating the bark off the trees. The pale appearance of the tree bark is due to a coating of silk that the caterpillars use to protect themselves from predators.
Fact #3
The caterpillars don't lay eggs. Only adult moths lay eggs.
Fact #4
The caterpillars will pupate inside the silk and emerge as adult moths in a few weeks time.
Fact #5
Spraying with pesticide will create a greater health risk than just leaving nature to take its course
Fact #6
What should be seen as a real health and safety issue in this park is the enormous amount of dog excrement on the grassy area. This has the potential of causing blindness in children due to them contracting Toxocariasis. This is caused by worms present in the dog excrement.
StoptheStink.AWM says...
8:42am Mon 16 May 11