[Durham INC] Time to goop your cankerworm bands

[Freid, Tobin L.]

The very cold night temperatures we had in the last week have started to bring out the cankerworm moths. Now is the time to goop your tree bands, if you haven't done so already. If you already did goop them, then please check to make sure that leaves haven't stuck to the goop creating a bridge for the moths to crawl over on their way up the tree.  If you haven't gotten your bands up at all yet, please do so ASAP.  Kits are still available for check out at the Main Library through the end of December.

There is a shortage of Tanglefoot (the goop we have been using) so here are a few suggestions in case you didn't stock up:

1. Ask around - see if any of your friends or neighbors have some you can use. Tanglefoot that has been sitting around open since last year should still be good because the stuff doesn't dry out.  If you have some that you don't need, please offer it to your neighbors.  By next season, Tanglefoot and several other competing products should be in full production, so there's no need to horde it if you've already gooped your bands for the year.

2. Use Bird-Be-Gone - it is a sticky substance similar to Tanglefoot, though it is a bit thicker, so use sparingly and spread it thinly on the tree band.  Stone Bros and Byrd just got a shipment in today and you might be able to find it at other local stores.

3. Duct tape - This is a bit untried, but we think it will work. Once you've put up your underlayer of the band (e.g. burlap), put up duct tape or Guerilla tape sticky side out.  (This takes some finesse to put up without getting it stuck on your fingers.)

Once you've banded your tree, please let us know you did it by going to www.Durhamworm.org and entering in the information. This will help us keep track of what gets banded so we can see the impact is has on the worm populations in the spring.  If you include your email address, we will also remind you to take down the bands in the Spring.

Tobin L. Freid
Sustainability Manager
Durham City & County 
(919) 560-7999
www.GreenerDurham.net
Please note my new email address: tfreid at dconc.gov