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Wildlife: Flora & Fauna
Processionary Caterpillars
Megarian Banded Centipede
Viperine Watersnake
Portugal: Species Wipe Out
Processionary Caterpillars
Thaumetopoea pityocampa Schiffermuller
Processionary Caterpillars are so called because they form processions, nose to tail, as they leave the nest prior to changing into moths. They are found in all Mediterranean climatic areas, ranging from Portugal in the West through to the Adriatic and beyond in the East. The "nests" are fist sized or larger balls of spun filaments, usually lodged in fairly high branches of pine trees.
The months from October through to March and April see the time when the caterpillars descend from the cocoon nests and they will then form "processions" in search of soft, warm earth in which to pupate. There can be hundreds of caterpillars nose to tail, winding along roadways, paths, grass, whatever. The caterpillars have poisonous and irritant brittle hairs on their bodies, and are a mottled dull brown with faded yellowish splotches.
In adults these hairs will cause severe skin irritations, and occasionally anaphylactic shock, closure of airways leading to death, and obviously requiring immediate medical treatment. In children, (who are more inquisitive about the processions and may handle the caterpillars then transfer the fingers and hairs to the mouth etc) the effects can be more immediately severe and will almost always require immediate professional medical aid. Similarly, older people with less resistance can also be quickly affected. Golfers, tennis players, footballers and bowlers (petanque and boules) should be careful NOT to handle a ball that has gone through a procession, golfers should check local rules, some courses permit substitutions. Golf, Tennis, boules and Footballs should be cleaned with disposable cloths which should then be burned as a means of disposal.
For pets, dogs and cats, the problem is that the caterpillars have a bittersweet smell and taste, and both dogs and cats will try to eat them. The results are almost certainly fatal, as little as three or four will kill a medium sized dog, and one may produce death in a cat. The reaction to the poison also causes necrosis of the tongue, and by the time the owner notices the problem, it is usually too late for veterinary treatment to do much except ease suffering.
Do not brush a procession away as this can cause more problems than it solves, spreading the irritation-producing hairs and thus the risk of poisoning actually becomes higher as a result.
POISONOUS: do not handle!
The Portuguese for caterpillar is Lagarta (not to be confused with lagarto - lizard)
COMMENT from PatR:
I've been told by our vet (english speaking too) that although they are very unpleasant, its not as deadly as everyone thinks, but you do need to be aware and have the right medication with you.
It's Prednisolone, if you give it straight away the tongue doesnt swell too much and it makes the survival chances very good indeed. But you must be aware of the symptoms, small white spots in the mouth and on tongue, excessive drooling and 'chomping' this must be treated ASAP.
The Pine Processionary Moth
Thaumetopoea pityocampa
The moth attacks pine and cedar forests in all mediterranean countries. The pest was famously studied by a French naturalist by the name of Jean Henri Fabre who became quite intrigued by a species of caterpillar called the "Processionary Caterpillar" which fed on pine needles and moved through the trees in a long procession. The pest is present in most of Southern Europe and is especially damaging in young plantations and on ornamental trees. Its population level fluctuates substantially though in a rather regular manner over the period of a few years.
Images of pupae, caterpillars, moths, & tree damage
More Info
Megarian Banded Centipede
Scolopendra cingulata
Scolopendra cingulata, the megarian banded centipede, is a member of Scolopendridae, a group that includes some of the largest centipedes in the world (S. gigantea may reach a length of up to 30 cm when fully grown - but don't worry, this one isn't found in Portugal!) Scolopendra cingulata is one of the smallest members of this clade at approximately 10-15 cm. The venom of S. cingulata is less toxic than the other scolopendrid centipedes, but they are still fast and aggressive.
The Megarian Banded Centipede is one of the few Scolopendra species found throughout southern Europe, in mountainous regions of the Mediterranean. The color intensity of these centipedes varies slightly, depending on where they are found. Their full grown size is 4 - 4.5 inches. Babies will eat pinhead crickets, or other small insects, and adults will consume almost any creature that is not larger that itself, including large crickets, other large insects, and small lizards.
All centipedes have a certain amount of venom as a natural defense. Although most people are not seriously affected by this species, some people may be allergic to the venom, or just more sensitive, making it a dangerous situation.
Pliny the Elder said that for scolopendra bite a wonderful remedy is for the wounded person to touch the top of his head with a drop of his own urine, when his wound is at once healed!
POISONOUS: do not handle!
Viperine Watersnake
Natrix maura
Distribution: Spain, Portugal and North Africa.
Habitat: Most habitats, excluding dense woodland or desert, even in mountain streams.
Diet: Frogs.
Max. length: 50-60cm.
The viperine watersnake is the most viper-like of the European watersnakes, both in looks and behaviour, and it is frequently killed by persons who confuse it with a venomous snake.
Description: The head is clearly set off from the neck. The body is slender in the male and somehwhat stouter in the female. The scales of the body are strongly keeled. The eyes are large, and the pupils round. The coloration and the markings vary considerably. The back is noticeably darker than the side and may be any shade of gray, yellow or green. A band of lozenge-shaped to round blotches runs down the back often combining into a zigzag patterns similar to that seen on the Common Viper.
A specimen from the Rio Mondego, Central Portugal.
Portugal: Species Wipe Out
"Portugal says that nearly half of its bird, mammal and fish species are in immediate threat of extinction. Everything from the Iberian lynx and the monk seal are endangered, as are hundreds of species we barely notice but which are vital to the eco-system.
Portugal is a microcosm of man's impact on the planet – it's been claimed that if every country were to consume energy in the way that it does, we would need three planets in order to survive.
Over-development, increasing forest fires, dams, hunting, timber-planting, abandonment of farmland, and the draining of wetlands are all cited as the reasons for the disastrous state of Portugal's environment.
It's all happened in the years of industrialisation and rural flight since Portugal joined the European Union and there was a rush for much needed development. Tourism became the country's most important industry, and the Algarve quickly became the focus for investors and builders who raced to build holiday complexes and golf courses for the two million Britons and other tourists who now visit each year.
Portuguese environmental groups such as WWF and Quercus say that bad planning and misuse of European funding led to some disastrous decisions over where and how to build the roads and infrastructure that have improved Portugal's economy and way of life but have damaged the ecosystem irreparably and forced hundreds of species to find alternative habitats. In some cases they have simply become extinct. There are now officially no lynx left in Portugal, and while a handful are being bred in captivity in next door Spain, conservationists fear they may never return to the wild in Portugal. Everything from the lynx to the tiniest insect plays an important role in preserving the country's biodiversity, but what Miriam O' Reilly sees on her visit to southern Portugal is described by Eduardo Goncalves of WWF as a 'green desert'. He believes Portugal is on the brink of a major environmental disaster, and that it will take a massive effort to reverse just a small part of the damage.
The situation in Portugal serves as a stark warning to countries like Bulgaria and Romania, already being hailed as the next investment opportunities for developers, as they prepare to join the EU. But will they learn the lessons from Portugal's mistakes?"
BBC Radio 4: Costing the Earth, 21 December 2006
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4
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