柏林在2026年夏季面临有史以来最严重的橡树毛毛虫（Eichenprozessionsspinner）爆发[1]。这种有毒毛虫已蔓延至欧洲多个国家，包括英国、荷兰、丹麦、瑞士和法国等地[1]。2026年柏林春季是有史以来最晴朗的春季，温暖干燥的气候条件使毛毛虫大量繁殖[1]。
橡树毛毛虫拥有80万根微观毒毛，这些毒毛可在空中传播数百米，并能在表面存活多年[1]。英国自2006年以来就已存在该物种，而荷兰去年被感染的橡树数量翻倍[1]。瑞士林业研究所称2026年为"异常强烈的毛毛虫感染年"[1]。
虽然柏林政府采取了真空吸尘等应急措施进行应对，但专家认为无法完全控制种群，只能学会与之共存[1]。森林工程师托马斯·索布恰克表示："总体趋势可能倾向于大规模爆发概率增加"[1]。柏林政府在6月拒绝了将毛毛虫宣布为公共卫生威胁的请求[1]。这一现象与气候变暖和极端天气的频繁出现密切相关[1]。
Berlin experienced its most severe oak processionary caterpillar (Eichenprozessionsspinner) infestation on record during the summer of 2026, marking an alarming escalation of a pest that has spread across multiple European nations [1]. The outbreak coincided with an exceptionally dry and warm spring season in Berlin, conditions that favor the rapid reproduction of these toxic insects [1]. Each caterpillar bears approximately 800,000 microscopic venomous hairs capable of dispersing hundreds of meters through the air and persisting on surfaces for years [1].
The infestation reflects a broader geographic expansion of the species across Europe. The United Kingdom has hosted these caterpillars since 2006, while the Netherlands saw the number of infected oak trees double in the year preceding the 2026 outbreak [1]. Switzerland's forestry research institute designated 2026 as a year of "exceptionally intense caterpillar infestation" [1]. Between 2003 and 2010, the period during which Berlin's caterpillar larvae and moth stages receive sunlight increased by eleven percent, contributing to population growth [1]. The species was once considered endangered in Berlin, listed as such by conservationists in 1993 [1].
Government response has proven limited in scope. Berlin authorities deployed vacuum extraction as an emergency countermeasure but rejected a June request to formally declare the caterpillars a public health threat [1]. Forest engineer Thomas Sobrchak stated that "the overall trend may be inclined toward an increased probability of large-scale outbreaks," indicating that experts view complete population control as unattainable and coexistence as inevitable [1].