A female gypsy moth on rough tree bark laying an egg clump. The moth is white, the egg clump is light brown.

As Jump and Summertime approach and all our lovely plants and animals start waking up, there's one invasive pest in item that is getting set to create havoc in the treetops: The infamous Spongy Moth, also known every bit Lymantria dispar dispar (LDD) or the Gypsy Moth.

Spongy Moths are destructive hardwood tree eaters, and its larvae and caterpillars have devastated tree canopies all across North America. If y'all have a Spongy Moth infestation, your trees will speedily be defoliated – a unmarried caterpillar is capable of eating one square meter of tree canopy as it matures. Defoliated trees are weak to disease, insects, and molds that will slowly impale the affected tree, greatly reducing your local forest populations. Most salubrious deciduous trees (oak, birch, etc.) can withstand a year of complete defoliation and volition produce new leaves afterwards in the summer or the following yr. However, if spongy moths attack coniferous trees (pine, spruce, etc.), sickly trees, or defoliate deciduous trees ii years in a row, they may kill them. To keep these trees alive they will demand protection.

Spongy Moth caterpillars begin their activity in mid to late April. We recommend Burlap wrapping your trees from April to Baronial, as the caterpillars that accept fallen or been knocked from the canopy and onto the ground past predators, will be looking to climb back up to the leaves. Afterward August, surviving caterpillars have grown into moths. Female person Spongy Moths do not fly, and will continue to seek shelter under the burlap traps. Once the weather begins to turn effectually in late September, burlap traps will demand to be removed and tending of.

It'south recommended to become for the more natural approach – such as burlap – when wrapping trees, every bit some other tree banding supplies such as tape and oils, tin be harmful to other animals. So, if you're looking for a natural and easy way to command these pests from taking up residence in your trees, nosotros've created this like shooting fish in a barrel guide to creating "Burlap Traps" that volition catch Spongy Moth caterpillars, including how to dispose of them safely and effectively.

Materials

  • Burlap By M
  • Twine or Cord
  • Scissors
  • Gardening Gloves or Rubber Gloves

Steps

  1. Mensurate the circumference of your tree using a soft measuring tape or a length of string to effigy out how much burlap is needed to wrap effectually the torso. Add near half-dozen inches to the measurement – the burlap band should overlap itself to completely block the caterpillar's path up and downward the tree.

    A pair of hands using a soft measuring tape to measure the circumference of a tree trunk

  2. Cut a rectangle from the burlap that is a minimum of 12" wide by the length of your measurement from pace ane. The width is the size of your trap and will be dependent on your location (urban or rural) also equally the type of tree and body span. Nosotros recommend a larger trap for areas that will be the most affected.

    Cut a piece of twine or cord that will be long enough to tie around the band.

    Hands using scissors to cut into burlap, using a soft tape measure as a cutting guide

  3. Wrap the band effectually the trunk, tying it tightly around the middle with your twine or cord.

    Some trees have naturally deep grooves in the bark that make it difficult to completely block off access to the branches from the caterpillars. In this case, you tin can try placing another band slightly above the commencement or y'all tin can add a 2d layer of burlap to your band.

    A pair of hands using twine to tie a band of burlap around a tree trunk. The twine is in the middle of the band of burlap

  4. Fold the pinnacle half of the burlap over, creating a 'skirt' of burlap.

    Caterpillars will hibernate from the lord's day underneath the burlap brim during the heat of the day which will exist like shooting fish in a barrel for collection and disposal of the Spongy Moth caterpillars.

    A single hand folds the top of a burlap band over twine tied in the middle of the band, to create a flap of burlap over the lower half of the band

  5. Remove any caterpillars at the end of every day - or every two days in the early on and late seasons - by scraping them from the burlap band into a container of soapy warm water. Optionally you tin also add a small corporeality of bleach to the mixture.

    This stride is VITAL – if the caterpillars are non removed from the burlap traps, the burlap will go breeding grounds for the adjacent generation of Spongy Moths.

    CAUTION: Spongy Moth Caterpillars are covered in tiny protective hairs that cause irritation when they come into contact with pare. Nosotros strongly suggest y'all to wear gloves and clothing that will cover your arms and legs as completely as possible while you are treatment the burlap trap. If you accept any respiratory atmospheric condition a mask may also provide protection from any airborne hairs. Promptly launder your clothing and gloves afterwards you lot are done removing caterpillars and replacing the burlap.

Burlap traps, AKA Burlap Banding, is a condom and effective method of controlling invasive Spongy Moth caterpillars during the summit seasons. If your community has been affected by defoliation from Spongy Moth infestations, we hope you tin use this tutorial to keep your local eco-system balanced and healthy!

Prove us your Burlap Trap experiences by tagging #thefeltstore on social media.

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