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Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Thousands of marauding caterpillars trap car in silky web

By Daily Mail Reporter


It's the stuff of traffic wardens' dreams - a giant silky web trapping cars that have been parked for too long.

In the Dutch city of Rotterdam, however, it's a reality.

This car, which looks like a Honda, was attacked by thousands of spindle ermine moth caterpillars, which had already devoured a nearby tree.

Moth attack: spindle ermines moth caterpillars covered this car with a giant silk web in Rotterdam

Moth attack: Spindle ermines covered this car with a giant silk web in Rotterdam

Webbed tree

Webbed tree: The moths spin their web as a form of protection from wasps and birds before they pupate in their cocoons

Stuart Hine, an insect expert from the Natural History Museum, said the creatures spin webs for protection from wasps and birds before they pupate in their cocoons.

And they're not just native to Holland either.

Eight types of ermine moths, which turn into white butterflies with black dots, grow in the UK.

Their webs can be spotted in hedgerows around the country.

Their favoured tree is the spindle - which is often used in car parks and lining motorways.

'They spin them over large areas and tend to migrate when they've used up one tree.

'I've never heard of them spinning over a car before, but why not?' said Mr Hine.

The owner can relax, however - their car hasn't been lost forever.

'It only takes a few days. But we aren't talking about anything from Indiana Jones here.

'They can bear a but of weight but the car owner will be able to back the car out and clean it.'


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