Banding for Cankerworms
Why do we band?
Banding of elm and maple trees serves to provide a mechanical barrier that prevents wingless, and thus flightless, female cankerworm moths from entering the canopy to lay eggs. The spring and fall cankerworms are in the adult stage at different times of year, making the timing of the banding very critical. It is important to band all trees in your front yard because cankerworms feed on several of our boulevarde tree species, and after hatching, larvae can drift on silk threads between different host trees. Bands, when applied effectively, can dramatically reduce cankerworm defoliation.
When do we band?
To catch both the spring and fall cankerworms, the banding should be placed on the trunk in the early fall, after the first frost, and left on until early June, when the Spring cankerworms have stopped laying. It is important to remove the bands at the beginning of June because the band can collect moisture and cause the trunk to rot.
How do we band our trees?
List of materials:
- fibreglass insulation - 6" - 8" band long enough to wrap around the tree
- Shrink wrap - wide enough to overhang the insulation by ~3" on either side
- packing tape or duct tape (prefered)
- staple gun - staples long enough to go through insulation and into the bark of tree
- Tanglefoot, or some type of heavy duty axel grease such as Darnia Grease AX (Shell).
To apply the band, first cut a length of fibreglass insulation long enough to wrap around the tree at chest or shoulder height. Using a staple gun, attach the insulation to the tree at the seam. Next, wrap the shrink snugly over the top of the insulation band, ensuring that the wrap overhangs ~3” above and below the insulation. At the point where the shrink wrap was cut off, place a strip of duct tape perpendicular to the band and staple above and below the insulation band. This is to ensure the shrink wrap does not come loose. Next, use the duct tape to hold down the shrink wrap by wrapping it tightly around the tree above and below the insulation (on top of the shrink wrap), making sure to the staple the duct tape at the ends. The last thing is to liberally apply the sticky Tanglefoot to the band. Leave the band on over winter and remove it at the end of May and reapply in the fall. Leaving bands on the tree can be detrimental to the development of the tree.
Banding for Gypsy Moth
Why do we band?
After hatching, gypsy moth larvae use silken threads to drift to host trees. The larvae often end up on the ground and then must climb a nearby trunk to reach the crown to feed. As larvae climb the tree, they are captured on the sticky band. Burlap banding is also used to capture gypsy moths later in the season. Larvae feed at night, and in the day they seek out sheltered places to hide. If a burlap band is placed on the tree, many gypsy moth larvae will hide underneath it. It can then be removed and the larvae disposed off. Burlap banding requires daily removal and replacement. Adult females, egg masses and pupae can also be found in the burlap.
When do we band?
The sticky bands are used in early June to catch the young larvae. The burlap bands can be used as long as there are larvae feeding on the trees through June to July. It is important to remove the sticky bands early in the year, but the burlap banding can be used throughout the season.
How do we band our trees?
For the sticky bands, follow the instructions as outlined for cankerworms. Burlap bands require a piece of burlap and string. The burlap is folded in half and then tied around the tree at breast height to form a sheltered tent. It is important to remove this band everyday at midday, and to kill the larvae, pupae, females and egg masses in soapy water. The burlap can be reused each day.