How to band trees
To band your tree using foil-faced insulation.
- Cut a 15 centimetre wide band of foil-faced insulation long enough to wrap around the tree trunk.
- Place the insulation side on the bark so that the foil is on the outside.
- About 1.5 metres from the ground, tightly staple the band to the tree trunk. Make sure you fill in the bark’s cracks and crevices.
- Spread a layer of Tree Tanglefoot on the band.
- Encourage you neighbours to band together to keep your neighbourhood green.
When to band your trees
To avoid cankerworm problems in the spring, band your trees in the fall by September 15th or before the first frost. Bands remain on the tree over winter. In late winter or by March 15th, check your bands to see if more tanglefoot should be applied to protect the tree against the spring cankerworm. If the band is coated with moths and other debris, the spring cankerworm moth can crawl over the band. A fresh application of tanglefoot may be required.
Tree Band Maintenance
Tree banding is an effective way to reduce and control cankerworm infestations and, to some extent, other crawling tree insect pests such a the Elm bark beetle that spreads Dutch Elm Disease but banding will not be effective if not properly maintained.
Bands must remain sticky!
Inspect bands regularly during the infestation season for clogging by insects and debris – at least once a week and more often if heavy infestation is observed.
Refresh bands as required by running a putty knife over the surface to stir the debris and bring the tanglefoot® back to the surface.
Remove bands after the infestation season usually after mid May. Done by Coalition if bands installed by Coalition.
When to Take the Bands Off
Take bands off by May 15th. A good rule of thumb is to band the trees on the September long weekend and take them off on the May long weekend.Bands that are left on the trees over our hot summers cause tree rot, encourage insect infestation and are unsightly. As a service, we offer to put up the bands and take them off for you at a very reasonable cost. Just fill out the following form and we will register you for the banding service when we receive your form by fax or mail and payment. As stated, the bands are put up around the Labour Day weekend. Removal of the band is included in the cost and shall be done around the May long weekend.
