Overview
- Thousands of black caterpillars have swarmed the parish of Folgueras de Cornás, entering houses and forcing some families to leave their homes temporarily.
- Rocío Huerta, director general of Livestock and Animal Health for the Principality of Asturias, visited the affected area and called the outbreak a habitual local plague that reappears every two to three years.
- The regional authority said it had contacted a local farmer and an impacted homeowner to explain control steps and formally recommended use of phytosanitary products plus biocides to treat infested property.
- The regional response has drawn criticism from the Partido Popular over perceived inaction, and officials have publicly defended the timing and technical nature of their intervention.
- Similar outbreaks in nearby Galicia and western Asturias have previously harmed forage crops, which means treatments may require certified applicators and could impose extra costs and delays for affected households and farms.