No. 1044 of 1,402
Oak processionary
Thaumetopoea processionea
Caterpillars & bugs🪮 Stinging hairs
Danger to people: PainfulIt can really hurt, but it is almost never serious.Oak processionary belongs to the group: Caterpillars & bugs. It lives in: Europe.2
Venom power
Stinging hairs
Tiny hairs or bristles break off in the skin and sting.
How dangerous is it to people?
Danger to people: PainfulIt can really hurt, but it is almost never serious.🚑 If it bites or stings
- For stinging caterpillar hairs: lift them off with sticky tape, then wash the skin. Do not rub.
- For bites: wash and cool. Get medical help if the person feels unwell or bleeds easily.
Always call your emergency number first (112, 000, 911). This is general first aid guidance, not medical advice. First aid basics
⛑️ Stay safe
- Never touch, catch or tease a wild animal, even a small one, and even if it looks asleep or dead.
- Give it space. If you meet one, stay calm, step back slowly and let it go its own way.
- If one bites or stings you: stay calm, keep still, call your emergency number (112, 000, 911) or get to a hospital fast. Remember what it looked like, a photo helps.
It is not out to get you. It uses its venom to catch food or to protect itself, and it would much rather hide. More about staying safe
Where in the world?
How big is it?
How long is it?
📎about as long as a paper clip🐌slower than a garden snail
How big is Oak processionary compared to YOU?
Just maths in your browser. Nothing is saved or sent anywhere.
How fast is it?
Oak processionary about 0.03 km/h (0.02 mph)
A garden snail about 0.05 km/h (0.03 mph)
A tortoise about 0.3 km/h (0.19 mph)
A person walking about 5 km/h (3.1 mph)
A kid on a bike about 12 km/h (7.5 mph)
Where the facts come from
- Thaumetopoea processionea (iNaturalist): names and classification.
- Venom Wiki: the danger level, the typical size and the speed guess are our own. See how we work them out: How we rate danger.
Every fact on this page has a number that points to its source. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are animal fans, not a science journal. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
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Pine processionary
Common bombardier beetle
Brown-tail moth
Masked hunter
Pine-tree lappet
Common backswimmer
Common European adder
Spanish fly
Common wasp
European hornet
Fire salamander
Western honey bee