The fall cankerworm is native to North America and Charlotte, NC is known to have severe cankerworm infestations. The cankerworm has a four-stage life: egg, pupa, larva, and adult; after mating in December, the female moths crawl up trees to lay eggs on twigs and small branches. As leaves come out in the spring the eggs hatch leaving some caterpillars to feed on the leaves. Cankerworms on their own typically do not kill trees; however, repeated defoliation weakens trees leaving them susceptible to other stresses.
It is important not to wait until spring to fight cankerworms. As the air turns cooler and leaves start to fall, this is the correct time to start controlling cankerworms. Controlling cankerworms starts in the fall with tree banding. Tree banding is a first defense to stop cankerworms in their tracks. What exactly is tree banding? Tree banding is a glue barrier applied to the tree trunk. The gluey substance from the bands catch cankerworms as they make their way up the tree.
Here at Carolina Tree Care (CTC) we are now offering tree banding services. CTC will be using the BugBarrier product. The BugBarrier’s unique inward–facing sticky adhesive does the trapping out of sight, leaving the attractive band throughout the season. The BugBarrier product is clean, effective, and will defend your trees from this season’s cankerworms. After banding is installed, CTC offers a 30-day guarantee with one free return trip to repair damages caused by weather and/or squirrels. However, return trips will not be made for damage caused by pets or vandalism.
Check out Tree Bugs page for more information on cankerworms.
The time is now to treat for cankerworms. Don’t wait another minute to guard your trees from this wormy pest. If you have any questions a certified arborist is standing by and ready to speak with you today.
