Caterpillar season: Estepona completes 3,040 treatments, Marbella steps up in Elviria and Nagueles

Estepona and Marbella have expanded their campaigns against the pine processionary caterpillar as the autumn and winter nesting season gets under way, Euro Weekly News reported on 9 November 2026. The pest matters most to dog owners and parents, because contact with the caterpillars' hairs can cause irritation.

Key facts

• Estepona: 3,040 treatments completed across public parks, green areas and sites near schools.
• Marbella: stepped-up work in Nagueles park and the Elviria pine woods, with at least two applications planned.
• Benalmádena: 95 treatments completed this year on green spaces and roads.
• Method: trunk injections (endoterapia) in Estepona; injections plus ground-based misting in Marbella.

Estepona: 240 more treatments than usual

According to Euro Weekly News, Estepona town hall has finished an enlarged annual campaign. The 3,040 treatments compare with a usual programme of around 2,800 injections, so 240 more applications than normal.

Parque de la Hermandad and the area around the Cancelada football ground were added to this year's coverage. Most trees received three applications, while larger pines needed up to five.

The crews used endoterapia, which means injecting the treatment directly into the trunk instead of spraying it into the air. Estepona says this limits the spread of chemicals and reduces water and energy use.

Marbella: focus on Nagueles and Elviria

Marbella has intensified preventive work in Nagueles park and the pine woods of Elviria, both heavily used by residents and visitors. Parks and gardens councillor Diego López said priority had been given to parks, paths, barbecue areas, recreation zones and dog parks, the report said.

Teams are using trunk injections in busy spaces and ground-based misting across larger woodland. The misting equipment can reach 55 metres horizontally and 40 metres vertically.

At least two applications are planned. A third is possible depending on inspections, temperatures and weather.

Benalmádena and what residents can do

Benalmádena has completed 95 treatments this year, according to the same report. Its teams have used foliar spraying and trunk injections, removed nests and monitored moth populations.

The councils ask residents to report nests in public areas rather than try to remove them, so trained teams can act before the caterpillars reach the ground. Euro Weekly News also advised keeping dogs on leads near pines and stopping them sniffing caterpillars or nests.

Anyone who suspects contact should seek medical or veterinary advice promptly, the report said, particularly if a pet develops swelling around the mouth or tongue.

The report does not give treatment dates or say how to file a report in each town. Readers should check with their own town hall.