Greatstone Dunes are a breeding area for the Brown Tail Moth
Caterpillar. The caterpillar is a voracious eater of vegetation,
especially in the spring, and although it prefers hawthorn and
blackberry, it will eat practically any type of tree or bush.
The caterpillar also releases irritant hairs into the air which
can cause skin irritation, and can affect some people quite
severely. As you can see from the picture on the right, the
caterpillar of the Brown Tail Moth is brown, has a dotted white
line down each side and two very distinctive red dots on the
back of its tail. The moths lay their eggs in the mid summer and
the caterpillars hatch and form silk tents (see pictures below
and right) in which they hibernate. Each tent contains large
numbers of the caterpillars and they remain hibernating until
the arrival of warm weather brings them out. The caterpillars
carry up to two million spiked and barbed hairs which can
penetrate skin, causing an irritant reaction. Anyone who inhales
or comes into contact with t