UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
BULLETIN No. 899 
Contribution from the Bureau of Entomology 
L. O. HOWARD, Chief 
Washington, D. C. 
December 14, 1920 
GIPSY MOTH TREE-BANDING MATERIAL: HOW 
TO MAKE, USE, AND APPLY IT. 
By C. W. Collins, Entomological Assistant, and Clifford E. Hood, Scientific 
Assistant, Gipsy Moth and Brotcn-tail Moth Investigations. 
J 
CONTENTS. 
Page. 
Introduction 1 
Uses of gipsy moth tree-banding ma- 
terial - 2 
Making gipsy moth tree-banding ma- 
terial 3 
Application of tbe bands 7 
Value of banding trees in woodlands, 
along fences, or near stone walls. 12 
Practicability of treating gipsy moth 
egg clusters and of banding trees 
versus power spraying 13 
Resurfacing old bands of gipsy moth 
tree-banding material 13 
Page. 
Behavior of caterpillars beneath gipsy 
moth tree-banding material and its 
effect upon those crossing bands 14 
Effect on bark of trees 15 
Value of banding apple trees located 
near woodland infested by the 
gipsy moth 15 
Species of insects against which gipsy 
moth tree-banding material is ef- 
fective 16 
Conclusions and recommendations 17 
INTRODUCTION. 
Previous to 1896 various materials, such as gas tar, coal tar, tree 
lime, raupenleim, bird lime, printers' ink, cotton batting, and some 
sticky substances, were used on tree trunks to bar wingless adult in- 
sects and caterpillars from ascending trees to deposit their eggs or 
feed upon the leaves. Since that time there have been developed and 
used in large quantities sticky compounds, some of which are of 
great merit. The better grades of this material were used exten- 
sively in control work against the gipsy moth {Porthetria dispar L.) 
from 1905 until about 1915, but since this time its use has been some- 
;what restricted owing to the high cost of the material and its appli- 
cation, and to the increase in high-power spraying. 
Raupenleim, which is of a greasy nature, was first imported from 
Germany and experimented with in control work against the gipsy 
moth by the State Board of Agriculture of Massachusetts in 1892. 
Thirteen and one-half tons of the material were imported and used 
1662°— 20 
