Odense residents concerned as oak processionary moth spreads
Friday 3rd July 2026 on 06:45 in
Denmark
Residents in Odense have expressed growing concern over the spread of the oak processionary moth, known locally as “the larva from hell,” ahead of a public meeting called by the municipality on Friday.
“I think it’s spreading everywhere, and it’s worrying when you have children riding bikes around,” Carsten Meyer, an Odense resident, told DR.
The caterpillar, named for its thousands of irritating hairs that cause severe rashes in humans, has prompted calls for stronger action. Ole Jørgensen, another local, said he had seen cases of rashes and urged the municipality to do more, suggesting measures like flushing the larvae away with water or burning them.
But Thomas Pape, a professor and insect researcher at the Natural History Museum of Denmark, warned there is no quick fix. The hairs remain in nests long after the larvae pupate, and wind can carry them for months, continuing to cause irritation.
“This is not an easy problem to solve. The oak processionary moth is here to stay, and it will gradually spread,” Pape said. Naturally, the spread is slow—only a few hundred meters per year—but human activity, such as moving infested trees or branches, can accelerate it significantly.
The moth was first detected in Odense in autumn 2024. Since then, its presence has expanded, prompting the municipality to organize Friday’s meeting at Odense Congress Center, with 1,000 seats available by reservation.
Lene Borgaard Kruse-Nielsen, chair of the Slagkrogen homeowners’ association, welcomed the dialogue but demanded clarity. “I want to know how the municipality expects us to live with this. Will they intervene, or are we just supposed to wait for the larvae to return every year?” she asked.
Tim Vermund, Odense’s climate and environment alderman, acknowledged that current efforts had not resolved the issue. “We’ve chosen a strategy of targeting the larvae where people experience problems,” he said, adding that the municipality may need to intensify measures next season due to widespread complaints.