It is important that as many trees as possible get banded to make sure the cankerworm population doesn’t explode in the next couple seasons.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STEP 1 EARLY FALL (after leaves have dropped) 

Wrap approximately 4” wide batting/insulation/packing around the tree about 4-6 feet from the base of the tree. (fold it in half if it is wider than the tar paper)

Duct tape or can be used as an alternative to staples, however you will probably need to wrap it around the tree several times to insure that the duct tape will hold to the tree.

Plastic pallet wrap can be used in a similar method to the duct tape. The plastic wrap should be pulled tightly and then securely tucked under itself when done wrapping the tree.

STEP 2

Using a putty knife, spread the Tanglefoot on top of the exposed roofing paper. The Tanglefoot should be applied so that it is about a 1/8” thick and anywhere from 3-10” wide, depending on the size of the tree.

NOTE: Tanglefoot is an environmentally safe product, made of natural gum resins, castor oil and vegetable wax. It is extremely sticky, so wear old clothes and disposable gloves for this part!

Step 3 WINTER (December-March)

Maintain and check your bands every 3-4 weeks throughout the winter. Some trees will have an unusually high number of insects that try to crawl up them, so if the trap is already clogged with a lot of bugs or leaves, it may be necessary to scrape off the Tanglefoot (with dead bugs entrapped) and apply another layer of the Tanglefoot. (You can also spread another layer on top of an already full layer of Tanglefoot).

NOTE: This is necessary, because if the traps get clogged early in the winter and are not cleaned or reapplied, the bugs will be able to crawl on top of the traps (on top of the already trapped bugs) and get up to the canopy as there is no sticky surfaces left to snag them.

Step 4 SPRING (late April – May)
Remove the bands in the Spring after all the worms have finished dropping from the trees. It is recommended that you leave the bands up until after the worms are finished dropping because as they drop, some will get caught in the residual stickiness left on the traps, which keeps them from being able to go into the ground to then reappear the next Fall.

NOTE: If you want to ensure that your trees are 100% protected, in the Spring, when you see the first worms start to drop, you can hire a tree company to come spray your trees. Most tree companies listed below will come with high powered hoses and spray pesticides into the canopy which will almost instantly kill all worms in the sprayed area. This is extremely effective and recommended for those who are motivated to do so.  Below are images of the worm as they look in the Spring (most are bright green or black) when they drop from the tree canopies.