Toxic caterpillars which cause irritation to animals and humans have been spotted in a village.

Kerry from East Peckham was walking her dog when she saw big webs in bushes on Chidley Cross Road.

In a post on Facebook, she wrote: “I think they’re invasive and destructive and gave me the creeps”.

Kent County Pest Control told KentOnline the species is a brown-tail moth, which has never been deemed a public health risk but can cause irritation due to the tiny hairs they release as caterpillars.

These hairs can cause problems for people with breathing conditions such as asthma and can cause irritation to animals.

Andrea Ray, of Bramley Gardens, Paddock Wood, told KentOnline the brown-tail moth had appeared in her cherry trees and gave her dog an infection.

She said: “My dog rubbed her nose on one last year and had a terrible infection on her nose where she rubbed it raw – big vet bill!”

“I have it in my cherry tree and others have seen them in hawthorn hedges and these are toxic to animals and humans.”

Matthew O’Donnell, 32, who runs Kent County Pest Control, said the brown-tail moth is recognisable by its webbing which appears in a tent-like formation and often houses more than 200 caterpillars.

Another giveaway to the brown-tail moth is its caterpillars have two orange/brown dots towards the tail-end which are distinctive to the breed.

He said: “They are a nuisance pest more than anything else, just because of the hairs and the irritation, they can quite easily bring a rash on if you come into contact with the hair from one of these – the adult moth itself isn’t much of a problem.

“Generally, most animals or people who come into contact with the hairs, find that normally after a few hours the irritation stops but, in some cases, unfortunately it does last longer.”

Kent County Pest Control advises residents not to disturb the caterpillars if spotted, and instead recommends calling a local pest control team for guidance or assistance.

While many people try to use insecticides on the species, Matthew says this does not always eradicate the problem and can be harmful to birds that may feed on the caterpillars.

Although the caterpillars can be treated during the spring, he says the most efficient solution is to cut out and burn the tents during winter, when the caterpillars aren’t as active.

East Peckham Parish Council confirmed the presence of caterpillars has been reported to Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council Environmental Services/ Health Teams.

The brown-tail moths are native to southern regions in Kent but are found in Wales and some coastal regions further north.

Matthew, who has worked in the pest control industry for seven years, says he has seen a rise in the number of reported cases in Kent and said: “I am getting more calls, and more people are having an issue with them.”

The caterpillars can cause damage to the bushes and hedges due to the volume of caterpillars that feed off the plants but don’t completely defoliate the tree like box tree caterpillars.

Back in January, residents in one town were being warned to look out for the brown-tail moth caterpillars.

Dover District Council took action to remove the creatures and their nests when they started appearing in hedgerows in Aylesham.