BANGOR, Maine (AP) The Maine Forest Service is warning residents that this could be an especially bad summer for a species of invasive moth that causes an itchy rash in people.
The browntail moth first arrived in Maine a century ago and their caterpillars have poisonous hairs that irritate human skin. Officials said there will be more moths this summer and their range has also expanded, the Bangor Daily News reported.
The moths have been aided by dry spring conditions last year that was followed by a warm fall. That created good conditions for the moths to reproduce and spread.
The moth has been seen in every county in the state. The moths also defoliate trees. Authorities have encouraged residents to take precautions such as clipping branches that contain the webs of the moths and burning them.
