Spring chores in the garden are varied and plentiful. Here and soil preparation, and fussing with seedlings, and replanting, and pruning - but you never know what matters! However, experienced gardeners pay special attention to the protection of their perennial plantings (in particular trees) from the invasion of all kinds of pests. And here, fishing belts on trees are simply invaluable.
What are they needed for
You can, of course, poison unwanted visitors with pesticides. However, we note that they are not useful not only to trees, but also to the owners of the garden. In addition, this treatment will have to be repeated several times, and at the time of flowering (and especially fruiting), this process is generally strictly prohibited. Given that the trees bloom and bear fruit at different times, the allowed time range is reduced to a very short one. So there remain mechanical methods, and among them the most effective ones are hunting belts (for apple trees, pears, plums ...). They are absolutely harmless to plants, do not infect soil and air with excess substances, reliably prevent pests that travel on foot from entering trees.
Funnel and its varieties
Frankly speaking, hunting belts for apple trees and other trees are effective only in three varieties: funnel-shaped, in the form of a two-bell funnel and adhesive. The most simple to execute traps of the first type. For their arrangement, it is enough to take cardboard or thick paper and roll the material around the trunk in the form of a funnel, securing it with soft wire or a rope in the middle. The bottom should be a bell, and the top is wound in several turns, very tight. It would be nice to cover the gaps with something above - clay or garden var. Such trapping belts for apple trees proved to be most effective, because these trees often suffer greatly from the apple moth. And this pest in such "traps" stops almost completely.
To increase the degree of exposure, the paper material is pre-impregnated with insecticides, as well as regularly checking fishing belts (they are intended for apple trees or for other garden trees). Caught bugs and caterpillars shake out in a fire.
Bilateral funnel subspecies
It is used in cases where the tree trunk is too uneven, for example, in the place of tying there is a “stump” from a branch that was once removed. In this case, there is no guarantee that the insulating material adheres to the barrel quite tightly over the entire diameter. The principle by which such hunting belts for apple trees are arranged remains the same, only dressing is done twice, and between them there remains a gap in which pests who managed to overcome the first obstacle die. An analogue of such a trap can be considered old kapron stockings imposed on the trunk several times at a small distance from each other. It’s a very successful engineering move: the stockings stretch well, so they are adjacent to the bark, but they don’t press on the trunk. To remove them is also not a problem - cut it, and they fell to the ground. And in order for such belts to be effective, the strapping must again be saturated with insecticidal preparations. A good way to wind the trunks is glassy: it is insurmountable for caterpillars with their vulnerable body. If you need trapping belts from ants, then such traps do not justify themselves, because these insects will be able to overcome them.
Glue to help
In some ways, the method is similar to stocking "barriers". True, the fabric must be chosen with a more porous surface that could hold onto itself a drop of glue that does not dry for a long time. A strip of such material is wrapped around the trunk, a sticky composition is applied to it. As it is, most gardeners use glue designed to fight rats and mice. The plus is that such hunting belts from ants help just fine, but at the same time useful insects - the same bees, ladybugs, bumblebees and wasps - fall into their "greedy hands". And the owner of the land can accidentally stick to his trap.
How to make a universal "trap"
It is worth paying close and constant attention to this method of combating garden "predators", since it is very easy to make a hunting belt and this does not require expenses. There is an option that has long been recognized by gardeners - to make a trap from a sheet of rubber with a kind of reservoir. The sheet is not very thick, but soft, folded with a funnel (bilateral) around the trunk and firmly glued. The upper funnel obtained is filled with ordinary vegetable oil mixed with a decoction made from the leaves of the tree on which the trap is attached. If the pests manage to overcome the lower barrier, they fall into the upper, from where they can no longer get out. An additional bonus is that you do not need to change such a belt as the tree grows - the rubber gently and gradually stretches to the desired diameter. But the oil will have to be changed.
How to achieve greater efficiency
First of all, do not forget: even glue that does not dry for a long time will do it sometime. So either its layer will have to be updated, or go for additional tricks. In order not to destroy useful flying insects at your site, it is worthwhile to strengthen the “visor” above the fishing belt, for example, from a plastic bottle. Then only pests will fall into the trap. And do not trust advertising! In specialized stores, ready-made adhesives are often sold - hunting belts, on which it is written that the composition is applied directly to the bark. Never! The trunk will get burned, and you will at least heal the tree for a long time. First, wrap the barrel with cooking paper, and spread the hunting glue on it.
Victory over pests!