8i FRUIT INSECTS 



are very effective. A strip of mosquito wire netting, at least 

 as fine as 16 wires to the inch, and about 14 inches wide, tacked 

 so as to fit tightly around the tree at the top and held out from 

 the bark for half an inch or more at the bottom by a spiral 

 spring or nails driven into the tree, forms almost a perfect bar- 

 rier to the wingless females. We have seen such wire traps 

 nearly full of the moths in badly infested orchards. They 

 should be crushed under the wire each night, and it is sometimes 

 necessary to remove and empty the traps. While these me- 

 chanical barriers may be very effective in preventing the females 

 from getting on to the tree to oviposit, they often lay many 

 eggs below the barriers, and in the case of the wire traps, the 

 young caterpillars may crawl through the meshes and reach 

 the foliage ; the cotton bands, if kept fresh and fluffy, would 

 doubtless continue effective against the caterpillars. In apply- 

 ing such barriers all rough places on the bark must be smoothed 

 or filled so as to allow no chance for the moths to crawl under 

 the edge of the bands. Their effectiveness will depend largely 

 on their proper application and maintenance in a good working 

 condition while the moths are active. 



Certain sticky band placed around the trunks of the trees 

 are just as effective barriers as the wire traps or cotton bands, 

 and they have the decided advantage of capturing and killing 

 the egg-laden females, and also of effectively preventing the 

 ascent of the young caterpillars that may be hatched below 

 the bands. Among the sticky materials found effective are Tree 

 Tanglefoot, a mixture of 5 pounds resin and 3 pints castor 

 oil (some add Venice turpentine, 3 pints to this) and printer's 

 ink mixed with black Virginia oil or some similar heavy oil to 

 prevent its drying out too quickly. It is best to apply these 

 on a band of tarred or other heavy paper 6 or 8 inches wide 

 tacked or tied around the trunk and all roughnesses beneath 

 filled with cotton. Keep the bands sticky by fresh applica- 

 tions when needed. On badly infested trees it is sometimes 



