During Easter 2001, we went on leave to Kunene River Lodge via "the scenic route" along Ruacana falls and Kunene river. We later returned via Opuwo. We were flooded in mopane worms most of the way.

The mopane worm were mainly found over thousands of hectares the last 30-40 km along the main road from Kunene river to Opuwo. Most of the way, the mopane trees were completely defoliated and the gravel road was full of mopane worms crossing to look for more feed or a place to pupate.
 

At the descent to Ruacana falls. Mopane worms were easy to find in the low mopane bushes to the left	Mopane worm
Mopane worm	Mopane worm, my assistant said they were still too small to eat
A typical cluster of worms	An old egg cluster.
Mopane worms are beautiful and photogenic	You find the caterpillars by searching the ground for droppings and then look up into the tree
Mopane worms are often difficult to spot even when there are many. I found at least three worms hidden on this photo	End of the outbreak. A sole mopane worms is left on a completely defoliated mopane tree. This was a common sight along the road to Opuwo.

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