Pine processionary Pine processionary The pine processionary ("Thaumetopoea pityocampa") is a moth of the family Thaumetopoeidae. Sometimes placed in the genus "Traumatocampa", it is one of the most destructive species to pines and cedars in Central Asia, North Africa and the countries of southern Europe. The urticating hairs of the caterpillar larvae cause harmful reactions in humans and other mammals. The species is notable for the behaviour of its caterpillars, which overwinter in tent-like nests high in pine trees, and which proceed through the woods in nose-to-tail columns, protected by their severely irritating hairs, as described by the French entomologist Jean-Henri Fabre.
Animal and Plant Health Agency Animal and Plant Health Agency The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), formerly known as the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA), is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) of the United Kingdom. It was formed in its current state on 1 October 2014, when AHVLA was expanded by adding parts of the Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA), including the Plant Health and Seeds Inspectorate (PHSI). AHVLA had originally been established on 1 April 2011 by a merger of two former agencies, Animal Health and the Veterinary Laboratories Agency. The agency's