Invasion of black caterpillars shocks Kedah village

Despite spraying insecticide, and cutting trees infested with the caterpillars, a wedding party was disrupted by thousands of the creatures.

ALOR STAR: Villagers of Kampung Tepi Laut, Mukim Tebengau, Kuala Kedah, here were shocked when their village was infested by thousands of black caterpillars for the past three days.

The caterpillars had also invaded a wedding ceremony yesterday and forced the guests to leave early and left them with a skin-crawling feeling.

According to the father of the bride, Mat Ali Zainol, 56, insecticide was sprayed a day before the wedding, but it failed to reduce the number of the creepy-crawlies.

“On Saturday, the Kota Setar Civil Defence Department (APM) had cut down the trees along the road to my house, which were infested by the caterpillars,” he said when met at his home here.

A villager, Ku Othman Ku Jiwa, 55, said he had developed an allergic reaction after coming into contact with caterpillars.

Ku Othman said the matchstick-sized caterpillars could also be dangerous to humans, especially children as it could enter their nose or ears.

Another villager Harison Sharif, 51, said the infestation might be due to the breeding season.

Kota Setar APM officer Lieutenant Mat Zain Baharom said the department received a call at 9.40am yesterday about the incident.

“We cut down trees and trimmed branches infested by the caterpillars before destroying them,” he said.