1910.] Grease-banding of Fruit Trees. 



545 



May. — Winter Moth larvae, 300; Leaf Weevils, 50; Click Beetles, 4; 

 Longhorn Beetles, 2 ; Owl Midges (not counted) ; Chironomidae (not 

 counted); Fever Flies, 71; Woodlice, 20; Small Weevils not identified, 

 30; Harvest Men (Phalangidae), 23. 



June. — Winter Moth larvae, 170; Leaf Weevils, 10; Click Beetles, 7; 

 Apple Suckers, hundreds ; Muscidae, 20 ; Ants in hundreds ; Woolly 

 Aphis, 50 (many sunk in grease and not counted). 



These records for May and June apply to bands put on previously 

 unhanded trees. 



Relative Effect of High and Low Banding. — The position 

 in which the banding is placed has long been a matter of 

 controversy. Some people have advocated high, some low, 

 banding. To investigate this matter the following experi- 

 ments have been carried out. 



Two lots of eight trees were banded as follows : — 



Experiment A. — Bands placed 2 ft. from the ground and 

 kept moist from October to April. 



Experiment B. — Bands placed at 4, 5, and 5J ft. from the 

 ground, and the bands also kept moist. 



On two trees in A., numerous Winter Moth larvae occurred 

 on the foliage. In B., none occurred at all. In A., 32 females 

 and 117 males were caught, and in B., 70 females and over 

 100 males. In 1910 double bands were placed on one lot of 

 trees, and whilst many females were caughv on the lower A. 

 bands, 15 were caught on the higher B. bands. 



It seems, therefore, that a few females get over the low bands 

 in some way. Although in what manner they do this was 

 not traced by actual observation, there is little room for 

 doubt but that the winged males can carry the females in 

 copula some short distance, and deposit them on the trunks 

 of the trees. From the results obtained, it seems that 4 ft. is 

 a safe distance to allow to prevent them doing this. 



In one instance, however, on a cherry tree, doubly banded 

 at 2 ft. and 4 ft., a female was found on the top of the upper 

 band just caught in the grease. It is possible that an occa- 

 sional larva may pupate in an old tree in some branch junc- 

 tion. It was noticed that this female was evidently crawling 

 downwards, as she was caught by the head. I searched for 

 a pupal skin and cocoon, but could not detect one. 



As low banding up to 2 ft. is not completely successful, it 

 is very doubtful if the process pays its way in bush planta- 

 tions. Several growers have informed me that caterpillars 



Q Q 



