Evening star., 1937-08-14
DAVEY EXPLAINS
BANDING OF TREES
Shelter to Keep OF Insects
Only Part Of Protection,
He Says.

Questions which have been asked
BY three owners show that the pu,v
pose Of banding trees as a protection
against insects is not we'll understood,
points ont Paul Davey. tree expert.
Some seem to believe, he says, that a
hand of sticky stuff around a tree
ought TO protect it from every form
Of insect enemy, good deal as some
aboriginal tribes believe a charm hung
around the neck will keep of all dis
es ses, while others do not give the
band the credit il deserves
As matter of strict fact" he says,
the band on tree is only a supple
mentary means Of control and then
against but few types Of insects. OBJ
vlously 1t cannot do any good against
winged pests, many OF which are
strong hvers. Neither can it prevent
small caterpilIars blowing or dropping
from one tree TO another where trees
stand close together.
Ba ndS are used for two purposes.
In some cases they are intended TO
form shelter under which insects
will gather and from which they NAV
he collected and destroyed As far as
shade trees are concerned they are
usuallv sticky bands and intended 10
catch Uingless creature crawling up
tree trunk.
WineteSS Moths
There are Several kinds Of moths
which emerge wingless from the
ground or litter and it is the instinct
ut the UlngleSs female TO crawl up
tree 10 Law eggs, from which will
match caterplllars 10 feed on the leaves
Two Of the best known of these moths
are the 2lpSy moth and the canker
worm moth. Most of the moths have
several distinct stages in their life
cNcle and should be fought al every
stage because they have so much ca
pacltv for destruction.
Bands are called supplemental
means OF control because rhey will
he effective only while moths are in
The one stage in which their instinct
makes them crawl up The tree trunk
Al other stages they are DESTROYED by
SPRAYS and other control measures
But the banding is worth while, if it
Is done carefully. because every female
DESTROYED means dozens or hundreds
of deSrructful progeny which will not
have 10 be fought.
Warns Against Hurting Tree
No banding material should be ap-
piled directly 10 the trunk of tree
for fear Of injury 70 the bark IT may
be put over strip Of burlap or heavy
paper. The bands must be fitted
closely, so that insects cannot crawl
under II in the bark channels To
accomplish this The outer ark may be
smoothed off. although that is A
touchy Job for an amateur 10 per-
form without fear OF injury 10 the
bark. r. Would be Sa fer 10 out layer
Of cotton batting under the band
gushing il down into the channels in
the bark, That will force the insects
to crawl over and the adhesive will
get them. The adhesive band must be
renewed occasionally, as it will be-
come ha rdened or filled with trash
and lose effectiveness.
Some species Of moth develop wing
less females in the Fall. commencing
with October and others in the Spring
That means that bands 70 do the work
expected of them. should be used in
he Fall and Spring months. But
hands, much good as they NAV DO at
the proper season. will never take the
place of spraying. and the limita tions
cf their Use should be taken into con-
sderaron to avoid dlsa appointment.