An enemy that is difficult to combat, yet desperately in need of a practical solution: the oak processionary caterpillar. The French town Guénange has now launched a drone programme to help reduce health risks that can be traced back to the caterpillars occupying the nearby forests.
The insects’ hair can be especially dangerous for human beings and animals alike, since it can cause a form of skin disease. The newest gadget designed to fight this enemy is a 24 kg drone, which is able to spray a bacterial solution (not harmful to animals or people). The agent turns into a toxic crystal once it comes into contact with the caterpillar.
The municipality of Guénange in the Moselle department has been fighting the oak processionary for several years, and needed to step up their game, since it had developed into a problem for its citizens.
The initiative has been conducted by Agrobio Tech since 2019, a company originally from Nice. The French national institute for agronomic research has been supervising the project from the outset.
This year’s undertaking was once again watched closely by the town’s population. While the first deployment of the drone had cost the town 70,000 euros in 2019, the current undertaking will be priced at 40,000 euros.
The bacterial solution sprayed by the drone yet needs to be fully homologated by French authorities. This could happen soon, if results from this year’s procedures turn out well.
