Wachtel Tree Science

There may be three opportunities for the BugBarrier Tree Band to stop gypsy moth and interrupt its lifecycle. It can be applied anytime from early spring through mid summer. After Labor Day, however, it should be removed and a new band applied the following spring.

1) BugBarrier Tree Band applied in spring (by late April)   is a protective measure to stop young larvae hatched in the lower part of the tree, or in nearby areas, from  climbing up to feed on the foliage of uninfested trees.

 2) In the summer, during their period of peak feeding activity, gypsy moth caterpillars take frequent trips (sometimes daily) down the trunk to spend the heat of   the day in the cooler understory. They then crawl back    up in the evening. These larvae are able to cross down over BugBarrier Tree Band to reach the ground but cannot cross the band to get back into the canopy, thereby reducing infestation levels and tree defoliation.

 3) The third opportunity to stop gypsy moth is in mid to late July. The band will stop egg-laden female adults   from climbing the tree. It won’t stop them from laying eggs. They will lay them wherever they happen to be.   But, this may help concentrate egg masses below the band, making it easier to identify them, scrape them    from the bark and destroy them before they can hatch. 

Submitted By: Jeff Wilson: Certified Arborist #IL0099a  Wachtel Tree Science