No. 4.] WORK OF GYPSY MOTH COMMITTEE. 241 



tect the trees not only from canker worms but from other 

 insects that ascend the tree in the same manner. 



Burlap Bands. 



Durin«: the season of 1891 it was observed that when the 

 caterpillars were half grown they began to feed at night, 

 and clustered during the day on the lower sides of limbs, 

 on the shady sides of trunks of trees, or in cavities or crev- 

 ices in the trees oi; ol)jects near by. It was also noticed 

 that at this time they sought hiding places, and that any 

 piece of old carpet, bunch of hay or strip of cloth wound 

 around or thrown on the tree was used by them as a place 

 of concealment. It was seen that any artificial shelter 

 which they would seek could be made an eftectual trap for 

 them. Experiments were made with sundry fabrics, and it 

 was found that a baud of coarse burlap bound loosely about 

 the tree was the most effective tiap that had been devised. 

 Many of these were placed upon the trees during the season, 

 and they were visited as often as })ossible. The caterpillars 

 which clustered l)eneath them were killed, and the summer's 

 increase of the moth was largely disposed of in this way. 



Where the loose bark had been scraped off and hollows in 

 which they had heretofore secreted themselves had been 

 filled with cement, all the insects on a tree were frequently 

 taken from under the burlap. This method was followed 

 during the past season. In examining the bands it was noticed 

 that many other species of insects took advantage of them, 

 and apple worms, tent caterpillars, borers, leaf beetles and 

 moths all sought these hiding places. 



The inspectors report to me that many tree borers gather 

 beneath the burlaps in the sunnner and fall, and that in some 

 cases they are so numerous as to make a complete band 

 of living insects extending entirely around the trunk. If 

 the burlap is watched and the insects are killed it will 

 greatly benefit the trees, and I urge you all to try the ex- 

 periment. If you scrape the loose bark from your apple 

 trees and then apply this band, I think you will be some- 

 what surprised at the number of injurious insects you will 

 be able to catch and destroy, and you may thus prevent 

 injury in the years to come . 



