Odense residents protest over oak processionary caterpillar handling

Residents gathered in Odense’s Banegårdspladsen on Saturday morning to protest the municipality’s handling of the oak processionary caterpillar, locally dubbed the “larva from hell,” Danish broadcaster DR reports.

Demonstrators carried signs with messages such as “We want our lives back without caterpillars!” and “No to caterpillars, yes to people.” The protest follows a public meeting held by Odense Municipality on Friday, which drew around 700 attendees.

The oak processionary caterpillar, a moth species native to Central and Southern Europe, has spread to Odense. Its microscopic hairs can cause skin rashes, eye irritation, and respiratory issues in humans and animals upon contact. The municipality has advised against using certain sidewalks and bike paths in southeastern Odense due to reported cases of rashes and itching.

The caterpillar was first detected in Odense in January 2025, believed to have arrived via imported trees from Germany during the construction of the city’s light rail system.

Alexander Boe, one of the protest organizers, told Ritzau that the demonstration aims to highlight widespread concern rather than oppose specific measures. “It’s about focusing on something that raises enormous awareness and worry among many people,” he said.