Oak processionary posed a health threat. In April 2018, an outbreak of the caterpillars was reported across Greater London and surrounding areas. The moth is now fairly common in Belgium, notably in the Campine but also elsewhere, with fluctuating population numbers from year to year. In 2007 infestations in the Belgian province of Limburg were so acute that soldiers were deployed to burn them. In the Netherlands, the caterpillars are dealt with by biological pest control. Local authorities use, like in Germany, fluids containing bacteria that are toxic only to the caterpillars. These fluids are sprayed onto the infected trees. Furthermore, an
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