Students from the Employment Workshop carry out work against the pine processionary caterpillar in El Moralet Park

Students from the ‘Benidorm Natura i Esport’ Employment Workshop have carried out various tasks to combat the pine processionary caterpillar in El Moralet urban park. These efforts aim to protect the area's trees from the caterpillars and prevent their proliferation. Mónica Gómez, the Councilor for Employment and Local Development of the Benidorm City Council, explained that among the actions undertaken by the workshop participants was a study of the pine processionary caterpillar population within the project's area of ​​operation, which covers approximately 15 hectares. Pheromone traps were also deployed to capture males, resulting in the counting of 249 individuals over a six-month period. This indicates a fertile population of approximately 300 pairs per hectare.

Furthermore, to reduce the pine processionary caterpillar population, a specific product called Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaky has been sprayed across the entire surface. “The aim of the treatment is to attack the caterpillars in their early stages, when they are most voracious,” Gómez explained, adding that this product “is completely ecological and specific, as it only acts against pine processionary caterpillars, being harmless to other insects, animals, and people.”

Finally, the Councilor for Employment and Local Development highlighted that this work “complements the work carried out last October by the Parks and Gardens Department on approximately 4,000 pine trees scattered throughout the municipality, with particular attention to those near schools and public parks.” So, phytosanitary products were injected directly into the tree to prevent infestation by this pest and to stop the caterpillar from feeding on the leaves, which usually results in the weakening or death of the pine tree.

The pine processionary caterpillar damages trees and also poses a serious threat to the health of people and animals through its urticating hairs, which can cause severe allergic reactions. After hatching, the caterpillars defoliate the trees, weakening them, and then form long lines or 'processions' to descend and bury themselves in the ground for metamorphosis. The hairs they shed are very thin and pierce the skin or mucous membranes, releasing a toxin that causes itching, redness, severe inflammation of the tongue in pets, and even respiratory problems in humans.

Mónica Gómez explained that ‘Benidorm Natura i Esport’ Employment Workshop is “a combined employment and training program, in which a total of twenty students are participating, applying the knowledge they acquire throughout the program to projects of public interest,” mostly in El Moralet Park. The workshop has received a grant of €549,528 from the Valencian Employment and Training Service, LABORA, and lasts for 12 months.