Mainers should expect to see another dry summer — and along with it another year with low numbers of browntail moths, which as caterpillars shed tiny hairs that can cause itchy rashes and respiratory problems.

Thomas Schmeelk, an entomologist for the Maine Forest Service, said Mainers statewide who have been experiencing high levels of browntail moths will not have to worry about seeing these as often this year.

He said assessing the population this year has been difficult due to a variety of factors, mainly a decrease in statewide monitoring sites. However, he said Mainers shouldn’t see many webs in their trees over the next several months.

Schmeelk said although he expects there to be a population drop, the state has identified two hot spots that could see some browntail moth activity: west of Sebago Lake and the Turner/Livermore Falls area.

Even there, he said, he expects there will be fewer browntail moths than in past years.

Browntail moth caterpillars shed microscopic hairs that drift through the air and can prompt an allergic reaction, generally in the form of red, itchy rashes that last up to several weeks. The hairs are also considered to be toxic and can cause severe breathing problems for some people.

The caterpillars are typically active between the months of April and June, according to the Maine Department of Health and Human Services.

The Maine Forest Service said in an update issued Tuesday that the browntail moth caterpillar emergence was first spotted at monitoring sites in Bangor and Newport on April 29, the latest date of recorded emergence since weekly developmental monitoring began five years ago . The department typically has six monitoring sites, but just four were set up this year: in Bangor, Newport, Turner and Bridgton.

Schmeelk said that when testing originally began, there were 10 sites set up across the state, five in northern Maine and five in southern Maine. They were put in places that would see elevated levels of browntail moth activity.

Since the browntail moth population has been down over the past few years, Schmeelk said the Forest Service was having trouble finding sites, and scaled down to four sites.

The state’s browntail moth dashboard highlights that the number of caterpillars has fallen greatly since 2022. In 2022, browntail moths were present on 150,600 acres statewide The following year, it dropped to 46,700 acres, then to 2,000 in 2024.

Last year, the total number of browntail moth acreage increased to 4,900, but Schmeelk said that was not concerning.

The general reduction can be attributed to a fungus known as entomophaga alichi, and a virus that both thrive in cool, wet weather, said Schmeelk.

A caterpillar that comes into contact with the fungus’ spores won’t realize that the fungus is growing inside them until its later stages. Before the caterpillar dies, it grabs onto a branch and once it passes away, the fungus continues to grow and develop spores on that tree, infecting others.

The virus, which is also seen in the later stages of browntail moths, liquifies the caterpillar, forming droplets that when coming into contact with other caterpillars infects them as well.

The fungus and the virus can work at the same time, Schmeelk said.

Because the fungus and the virus do not do well in hot, dry conditions, it’s unclear if another dry summer in Maine will impact their effect on the browntail moth.

Last year was the state’s driest summer on record since 2004, according to Michael Clair, meteorologist at the National Weather Service.

“We don’t know how this will affect the browntail moth population, it remains to be seen,” Schmeelk said.

To prepare for the upcoming browntail moth season, the Maine Forest Service recommends covering bare skin when working outside and wearing a mask covering your face. It’s recommended that yardwork be done on wet days, as this will reduce the amount of hairs drifting in the air.

The department also recommends taking cool showers and changing clothes after outdoor activities.

If a person is exposed to browntail moths, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services recommends taking a cool bath with baking soda and using both hydrocortisone cream and calamine lotion. The department website indicates there is no specific treatment for browntail moth rashes.

The department recommends that anyone having trouble breathing, swallowing, or has swelling of the mouth, tongue, or throat, should seek emergency medical care.