Key facts
- Beijing is releasing over a billion parasitic wasps to combat the invasive fall webworm.
- Beijing Wildlife Park is holding a caterpillar-catching contest during the 'Golden Week' holiday.
- Over 310,000 fall webworm caterpillars weighing 47.65 kg have been caught by 2,077 participants.
- The fall webworm, native to North America, can damage more than 300 plant species.
- Warm winters have contributed to increased survival rates of the fall webworm moths.
Beijing is employing a dual strategy of releasing over a billion parasitic wasps and organizing public caterpillar-catching contests to combat the invasive fall webworm, a pest native to North America. The fall webworm, also known as the American white moth in China, can damage over 300 plant species, including crops and fruit trees. The current outbreak is particularly severe, with the third generation of larvae peaking, causing significant damage.
During China's 'Golden Week' holiday, Beijing Wildlife Park invited visitors to participate in a 'forest food monster' hunt, rewarding those who caught the most caterpillars. Participants used gloves, containers, and chopsticks to collect the larvae. Since the competition began on September 28, over 310,000 caterpillars, weighing a combined 47.65 kg, have been caught by 2,077 people.
Officials have stated that the caterpillars are not harmful to humans and do not spread disease, though individuals with allergies are advised to maintain distance. Factors contributing to the severe outbreak include successive warm winters, a compressed spraying window due to a rainy season, and the moth's overlapping generations. The control efforts also include manual removal of silk nests, wrapping tree trunks, pheromone and light traps, and targeted low-toxicity spraying.