Campers at Pigeon Lake Provincial Park, located about an hour southwest of Edmonton, are dealing with an influx of visitors this week.
A huge number of forest tent caterpillars have invaded the campground, munching on leaves as they go.
The furry visitors are everywhere — on picnic tables, in fire pits and on the trees, stripping some branches bare.
“They’re not bad if there’s a few of them but anything in large amount of numbers is a little eerie,” said camper Meghan Bodker.
“We’ve been doing our eating inside the trailer,” added camper Robin King.
Alberta Parks says, while they may be unpleasant to some people, they’re mainly just a nuisance.
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Alberta Parks told Global News that it’s not an infestation, it’s a seasonal guest experiencing a cyclical boom that happens every 10-12 years.
They have a life cycle of four to six weeks before they build cocoons, or tents, and eventually become moths.
Alberta Parks says the caterpillars are in the midst of a population boom that occurs every 10 to 12 years.
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The “very hungry caterpillars” are native to Alberta and provide an abundant food source for birds and other wildlife.
The campground host at Pigeon Lake said he’s getting complaints about them, but they’re mainly just a nuisance.
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