All in a row

We found these fellows walking along the path in our woods today. They are called 'chenilles processionaires du pin' because they walk in long lines, head to tail. We counted 91 of them in this procession. They develop in nests high up in pine trees where they can cause a lot of damage.

And they're dangerous when they come to earth too, because they have a highly irritating spray which can cause a serious rash, as I discovered last year before I knew this. Apparently they are particularly dangerous to dogs who, being dogs, will snuffle at them and even eat them and then suffer the consequences. So, stay away.

Click the photos to see the full hairy detail.