Goldefter-Raupe: The secret danger in Saxony-Anhalt

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Magdeburg - the spread of a small but dangerous creature is currently causing serious concerns in Germany. The poisonous caterpillar of the Goldafter butterfly, which is only about 4.5 centimeters long, has massively spread in different regions. With her characteristic appearance, which is characterized by lateral white spots and brown hair, she looks harmless, but you shouldn't get too close to her.

As harmless as the caterpillar may look, even with easy contact, it can cause strong skin reactions such as days of itching and rashes. In serious cases, breathing shortness of breath can even occur. These serious warnings should be taken seriously in the affected areas.

The danger in the environment

The danger of the gold bundle of gold is located in the over 20,000 tiny hairs that it has. These hair break off slightly and release a strong poison that can contaminate the surroundings. Especially when mowing the lawn or similar activities, there can be an impact that leads to severe allergic reactions.

The authorities in Saxony-Anhalt currently have problems with this "feared pest". The districts of Wittenberg, Anhalt-Bitterfeld and Mansfeld-Südharz are particularly affected. "The district of Wittenberg took the information from the cities of the district seriously and recognized at an early stage that the gold bunker also has a considerable danger potential," explains Vice District Administrator Jörg Hartmann.

affected trees often look as if they had been hit by a plague: in the event of severe infestation, the leaves are completely torn down, which significantly damages the trees.

climate change as a factor of the spread

An essential factor for the increasing spread of the gold bundle of gold is climate change. The harsh temperatures in Germany allow these hairy pests to spend the winter without any problems in their gnaws and spread further during the warmer months. Fruit trees in particular, which are preferred by the caterpillars, suffer greatly from the infestation.

In order to counteract this threat, the state of Saxony-Anhalt provided around one million euros for the fight against nests for the first time this year. Professional removal must be carried out by experts in special protective suits to ensure that the risk of health is minimized.

The situation around the gold bundle is an important topic that has not only regional but also national relevance. The health risks that emerge from the caterpillar in combination with climate change, which facilitates their spread, make it clear that quick action is necessary to protect the public.