41 



trees where the bands can be placed from 3 to 5 feet above the 

 ground. When the bands are placed low down, which is 

 inevitable in the case of bush trees, a number of the moths 

 usually find their way over the bands. How they do so is 

 not altogether clear, but there seems no doubt that the male 

 moths are able to carry the females for a short distance when 

 pairing. Moreover in the case of bush trees the process of 

 banding is somewhat troublesome and spraying is usually the 

 better method to employ. 



Where trees are often attacked by larvae of the" Bud Moth " 

 (Hedya ocellana) or of other moths with winged females, 

 banding is not essential since it is then necessary to apply an 

 arsenical spray in spring which controls moth caterpillars of 

 all kinds including those of the Winter Moth. 



(1) Banding. The bands should be placed on the trees 

 at the beginning of October and should be kept in a " tacky ' 

 condition until April. Winter Moths appear between October 

 and January, but the majority are caught in November and 

 early December. March Moths emerge in February and 

 March, while during the latter month and in April the eggs 

 of the Winter Moth hatch. Since some of the latter are 

 likely to have been laid on the trunk of the tree below the 

 band, the young larvae must be prevented from ascending. 



Various compositions for use in banding are on the 

 market and growers will learn by experience which 

 are best suited to their requirement. In general they 

 fall into two classes, (1) those of an oily nature, (2) those 

 which are sticky, like bird lime. The former are usually 

 cheaper to buy but must be renewed about three times 

 during the season, while the latter are more expensive, but 

 one application should be sufficient. Greasy compositions 

 must never be applied directly to the bark of the tree or 

 serious injury may '' be caused. This warning also applies to 

 ma.ny of the " sticky" compounds, though it is said that 

 some of the latter are harmless. Unless the grower has 

 definite information as regards the particular compound he is 

 about to use, it is wise to protect the bark by means of a paper 

 band. Exceptions to this -rule are old trees with a very uneven 

 surface, since in these cases the paper band would not fit suffi- 

 ciently closely to prevent the moths from crawling underneath'. 



A stout, grease-proof paper is usually used for banding 

 purposes and it should be noted that good paper, though more 

 expensive than bad paper, is the more economical in the end. 

 since it will retain the grease in good condition much longer. 



The paper band should be .from 7 to 9 in. wide and should 

 be firmly tied round the tree 3 to 5 ft. from the ground, by 

 two pieces of string, each string being an inch or two from 

 the edge of the paper. The best methods of applying the 

 composition to the band naturally vary with the class of 

 substance used, but, in general, it should cover from 3 to 6 



