Closeup of a pair of hairy Douglas-fir Tussock moth caterpillars inside a group shelter at Hyde Memorial State Park in the Santa Fe National Forest. Courtesy/NMSP
Douglas-fir Tussock moth caterpillars congregating near the ceiling at a Hyde Memorial State Park group shelter in Santa Fe. Courtesy/NMSP
NMSP News:
SANTA FE — The New Mexico State Parks Division has announced that two group shelters must close immediately at Hyde Memorial State Park in the Santa Fe National Forest due to unusually heavy caterpillar activity from the Douglas-fir Tussock moth (DFTM).
“While we expect this outbreak to come to an end within the next few weeks, it is best to close these shelters to help prevent further exposure to the public in these areas,” Parks Division Director Toby Velasquez said. “Once the caterpillars are gone, we will be conducting a thorough cleaning of the park facilities to ensure visitor safety.”
The DFTM outbreak was detected earlier this month in parts of the Carson, Santa Fe and Cibola National Forests. Caterpillars have thousands of tiny hairs covering their bodies which can cause allergic reactions in people and pets. The most common symptoms are skin irritation, rashes, watery eyes and sneezing. More severe reactions, though less common, include blisters, coughing, shortness of breath, wheezing and chest tightness.
“This year’s outbreak blew up due to the amount of moisture in the environment at the opportune time for the Tussock Moth,” said Forestry Division Forest Health Coordinator Victor Lucero. “We expect to see the caterpillars emerge again around this same time next year, but weather will predict how bad the outbreak will be.”
Group shelters #2 and #3 will remain closed at Hyde Memorial State Park through at least Aug. 15, 2024. Visitors will continue to see moths in the weeks following the end of the outbreak. The male moths fly but the females do not. Visitors will also see trees that appear to be dead as the caterpillars feed on needles of Douglas-fir and white fir often resulting in severe defoliation damage.
“Trees have been known to be eighty percent defoliated and will come back the following spring,” said Parks Division Central Region Manager Cheryl Kolls. “Over the next two years we will conduct hazard tree assessments and plan for future outbreaks. The Tussock moth is part of the endemic forest ecology, and we must prepare and manage for its impacts.”
While the campgrounds are open at Hyde Memorial State Park, visitors are warned not to touch the caterpillars or their cocoons to prevent an allergic reaction. After the outbreak ends staff will begin cleanup of the heavily affected structures using safety equipment.
The New Mexico State parks system is comprised of 35 parks in 25 of the state’s 33 counties. For more information, visit emnrd.nm.gov and click on the State Parks tab.