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Hairy caterpillars swarm over parts of Indonesia
Parts of Indonesia are under siege by swarms of hairy caterpillars, which are getting into homes and causing skin rashes, according to local news reports.
“The caterpillars are very disturbing. They crawl into the house and make our skin itch for days. They have long hairs,” a Jakarta resident identified as Nurhayati told the Jakarta Globe.
A caterpillar swarm was first reported in East Java two weeks ago, according to the Globe, and new swarms have been observed in Bekasi, West Java, and Buleleng, Bali.
The caterpillars are targeting the leaves of mango trees in Bali, according to a Bali Times report.
Bali agricultural chief Made Putra Suryawan said Wednesday that authorities there are spraying insecticide and burning garbage to stop the spread of the insects, according to an Agence France Presse report on kompas.com.
Suryawan said the species of caterpillars had not yet been identified. Their elevated numbers could be caused by a lack of predators, he said in the AFP report.
“There’s a reduction in the number of birds and ants that feed on these caterpillars. People catch the birds to sell them and catch the ants to feed their pet birds,” Suryawan is quoted as saying.
One politician has his own theory about the caterpillar swarm, according to the Jakarta Globe: It's a warning from God.
“Yes, it was God’s warning,” House of Representatives Speaker Marzuki Alie of the ruling Democratic Party said at the assembly. “It is God’s warning that we should introspect and make changes. Every incident has a meaning behind it.”
I warned you about the caterpillars, but I'm willing to offer you a new Covenant.
My 3rd ex-wife was a hairy worm that caused all sorts of problems. Squish..squish..no more problem.
My favorite caterpillar was the one sitting on the mushroom smoking a hukka full of magic ganja in Alice in Wonderland.
Third ex wife? Wow, you must be some catch.
don't even get him started on the women who he's still married to...
I love these snake oil salesmen. Lol They take any weird event and make it a doomsday prophecy. I had a dream about the end of the world, so maybe it's true....
But this one was DEMOCRAT! The world MUST be ending!
@uneducated Voter – your name = truth in advertising. You probably DVR'd every Glenn Beck show.
I'd say any environmental imbalance is cause for some concern. Why does our planet's health have to be a partisan issue? When you get sick, do you curse yourself for being "liberal?" Insanity.
Every thing is for a purpose Check this out and pass it on to all your peeps;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIeuP16uDLM
..If it is not terror threats, it is caterpillar threats...
They are not treating the trees and maintaining their trees...I've been seeing this "unidentified" species for years really since childhood...
Go Sabres!
I 2nd that! Go, Go, GO Sabres!
From 14051
lol!
well i have my own 'hairy caterpillar'
Does it cause itching and rashes? Ewwww!
Lack of common sense. They have reduced the predator population and the caterpillar population has soared. No prophecy is required for an explanation. Geez...I think the caterpillars are more intelligent than the Indonesians.
please don't mind that person... even we in Indonesia make fun of him...
This variety of catterpillar gives the worst itches. It goes on for days and applying coconut oil to affected area is a good remedy. Its either Gypsy Moth Caterpillar or something similar to it.
They are not Gypsy Moth Caterpillars. Gypsy moth caterpillars have black heads and though they have long hairs on them they aren't as hairy as the ones in the picture. Also I've never felt itchy after handling them and as a kid we'd catch them all the time.
looks like a member of the tussock moth family
"There’s a reduction in the number of birds and ants that feed on these caterpillars"
So get the insecticide out and kill the rest of the birds and ants so they no predators, that'll work!
“Yes, it was God’s warning,” Good grief! They have them down there too?
Regardless, in that part of the world sooner or later somebody will figure out either how to make some sort of caterpillar soup or suddenly realize that the insects are actually quite tasty with a little sambal kecap manis mixed in.
End of problem.
Not a sign from god but it is from Mother Earth.
Absolutely right! The elephant in the room that's the root cause of almost all our environmental problems: Overpopulation! Overpopulation! Overpoputlation! We are breeding out of control and destroying this planet like a plague of locusts – or hairy caterpillars!
dammit obama
Remember the gypsy moth outbreak in the early 80's. These look like a cousin of that.
They look a lot like oak moths, too.
uh...?
Message from God? To quote from a pretty good song, "It's nature"s way of telling you/Something's wrong." Time for indonesians to stop capturing wild animals for the pet trade, and spraying insecticides at everything that isn't marketable or edible.
And breeding out of control themselves.