Raking Your Leaves? You Must Really Want Browntail Rash Again
I feel like I've given plenty of reasons not to rake leaves this fall
It's true. Recently, I told you all about how good it is for your lawn to skip the raking. Not that you really need a reason. Everyone loves an excuse to be lazy. It's the cornerstone of American society, haha. But, there's another really great reason to skip the leaves this fall too. And it'll make you itchy to think about.
The last few years have been nothing but a blur of people dealing with browntail moth caterpillars, and the nasty little hairs that cover their bodies. I had it a couple of times this summer, and thought I was finally over it, but did some yard work, and BOOM! Back again. And it ain't just me.
Friends in real life and on social media have also been complaining this year.
A friend sent me photos of his arm just last week, and he had the dreaded rash we've all become way too familiar with. Even right now, I have a spot of it on my leg that's been pestering me for days. And yes, it's yard work that's causing it right now, according to the BDN.
The hairs were stuck on the leaves, the leaves fall to the ground, and voila! Or, there's likely plenty of dead caterpillars under there, or maybe some are blowing out of their tents in your trees. No matter how you slice it, those little jerks are still finding ways to literally get under our skin.
At this point, I don't think I need to coach anyone on what to do. But certainly, wear long pants and a shirt, probably think about wearing a mask if you're going to rake. Breathing those hairs in is an awful experience, I've been told. So it's just another reason to kick your feet up and tell your spouse you're doing the whole family a favor. They'll love it.