Hunting belt - long-term protection of wood from insects

If you want to protect your apple, pear or cherry tree from moths, leaf rollers, weevils and ants, you should use a trapping belt. These simple and effective traps will help get rid of uninvited guests once and for all.

Hot summers contribute to the appearance of a large number of pests. Fruit trees are especially affected by this. Most insects and other parasites climb the trunks to the most delicious parts of the trees - leaves, flowers, and subsequently to the fruits. Is it possible to stop pests at the stage of “marching” to the crown of the tree? Yes, especially if you use such a simple tool as a hunting belt.

Why are hunting belts needed on fruit trees?

First, let's figure out what a hunting belt is and why it is needed. So, this is a mechanical trap that is placed on the trunk or main branches of a tree to stop pest insects.

Of course, not everyone can be detained in this way, but only those who live, reproduce or winter on the ground, and then crawl up into the crown. These insects primarily include: whiteflies; bukarki; caterpillars; weevils; geese; mites; ants; aphids; flower beetles. When used correctly, a fruit belt on a tree is absolutely safe for people and pets, and also reliably protects the garden from pests. True, it also has a minus - beneficial insects can also be caught in the hunting belt.

The best devices and remedies for ants

There is a good remedy from a Korean manufacturer that can get rid of parasites in just 4-5 weeks. And this means is Combat. But the manufacturer guarantees that the ants will disappear no earlier than after 3 months.

Unlike similar drugs, the Ant Combat trap contains the active substance hydromethylone, which cannot be reached with the tongue or fingers. This makes it completely safe for pets and children.

“Ant Combat” is offered for sale in a package containing 4 traps, which can also be purchased individually. A package costs approximately 450 rubles, and one trap costs 150 rubles. Combat belongs to the class of insecticides that successfully fight ants and can get rid of parasites in a short time.

The Raptor device, which was originally created to fight cockroaches, will help you cope with domestic ants, although it is no less effective at fighting ants. The trap is a black plastic box that can be installed in any room.

If you use it in an apartment where small children live, then it is better to choose places for installation that the child cannot reach. Raptor traps work according to the classic principle - the insect must get dirty with poison and bring it to its nest.

Raid traps are less effective than the ones listed above. This is due to the fact that the bait used in them was created for cockroaches.

Funnel belt

This type of catch belt can be made in 5 minutes and works great. To construct a funnel belt, you will need a sheet of thick paper or cardboard, rope (twine) or plasticine. Wrap paper around the tree trunk so that an inverted funnel appears on it. Insects will crawl into its wide edge, but the top of the funnel, tightly adjacent to the trunk, will turn out to be a dead end. Tie the upper part tightly with a rope or coat it with plasticine (clay) so that there is no escape for pests. In principle, such a trap works all summer, but it is advisable to check it once a month and update it if necessary.

Prevention measures

To prevent pest control from causing much trouble, it is better to prevent the appearance of pests in your garden.
To do this, damaged bark is removed from trees in spring and autumn. Places with disturbed cover are treated with lime. Do not overdry the soil. It needs to be mulched. Clear the space under the plum tree from grass. Do not plant viburnum or linden next to fruit trees. Aphids especially love these plants. And the ants will easily deliver it to the plum, apple, and cherry trees located nearby. It is better to sow parsley, parsnips or other aromatic herbs here, which are suitable neighbors for fruit trees.

Before buds appear, plants are often treated with an aqueous solution of diesel fuel. Deformed leaves are torn off and destroyed. The first pests noticed are destroyed by knocking them off the plants with water pressure from a hose.

Look after the garden, destroy all pests in a timely manner. Take fruit trees under your protection. They will delight you more than once with ripe plums, plump apples and red-sided apricots.

Double-sided funnel

The versatility of this trap lies in the fact that it helps to fight both those insects that are just rising from the soil into the crown, and those that have already been at the top and went to the ground.
To make a double-sided funnel you will need: fabric or burlap 30-40 cm wide;

insecticide; clay; rope or twine. Soak a cloth in the insecticide solution and wrap it around the tree trunk. Using twine or wide tape, secure the center of the fabric tightly to the tree trunk, leaving the top and bottom edges free. Fill the entire space between the free edges of the fabric and the trunk with clay so that insects inevitably end up in the area soaked with insecticides. Change the belt every 3-4 weeks and burn the used one.

Lure an ant into a dry trap

A do-it-yourself dry ant trap on a tree is environmentally friendly and easy to make, and therefore is used by gardeners more often than other types.

Dry belts for catching harmful insects are represented by a large number of varieties. Among them there are several of the most popular.

Funnels

Funnel traps were named so because they have a specific appearance, and all the insects that crawl along the trees are simply drawn into them. You can make a funnel-shaped belt for catching ants on a tree with your own hands. To do this, you just need to follow the instructions below sequentially.

• It is necessary to take a sheet of cardboard or thick paper (20 cm thick) and wrap it around the trunk, departing about 50 cm from the ground level. As a result of such manipulations, a paper “skirt” in the form of a cone is formed on the tree. In other words, the upper part of the paper winding fits well to the surface of the barrel, and the lower part lags slightly behind it, creating a gap.
• The sheet should be pressed tightly to the surface and secured with wire, twine or a tourniquet.
• If gaps remain in the upper part of the trap, they need to be covered with clay.

Double-sided funnels

Ant hunting belts on trees can also be made in the form of double-sided funnels. This version of the trap performs two tasks at once:

• prevents insects from climbing up the tree trunk;
• prevents ants from coming down to pupate.

Each summer resident will be able to make a double-sided funnel trap on his own, following the recommendations given below.

1. You need to prepare a strip of thick paper 30 cm wide, visually divide it into 3 equal parts and wrap it around the tree.
2. The belt is secured in the middle of the paper tape as tightly as possible. The top and bottom remain free.
3. The gaps on the inside, where the paper is fixed, should be covered with clay to block all the loopholes for the ants.

Gate

The gate is another common type of trap for insects that spoil fruit trees in the garden. It is inconspicuous, practical and easy to make with your own hands.

When creating a gate, you should adhere to this sequence.

1. Measure the circumference of the trunk and mark on it a distance from the ground of 50 cm.
2. Cut a small sheet of rubber 4-5 mm thick.
3. Wrap the made strip around the tree trunk so that you get a collar with curved edges.
4. The ends of the rubber strip must be connected to each other using an adhesive composition. It is better to choose a special ant glue that has toxic properties.
5. As a result of the previous manipulations, a rubber container is obtained, into which it is recommended to pour a little sunflower oil. If desired, you can supplement it with a small amount of decoction of leaves from the same tree on which the trap is attached.

The catching belt in the form of a rubber collar will need to be replaced as the tree grows, as well as cleaned of insects that have gotten inside and periodically added vegetable oil.

Protect the tree with a poison belt

Poisonous trapping belts for ants on fruit trees are not very popular among gardeners, but they are still worth paying attention to. The use of such traps in the garden is often discouraged due to prejudice. They are due to the fact that toxins present on the belt can accumulate in the fruits of the trees. In fact, such a statement cannot be called justified, because the device saturated with poison is fixed at the very bottom of the trunk, and the toxin cannot get to the top, where the fruits are formed.

Poisonous belts against ants are characterized by maximum efficiency, and this is their main advantage. In addition, making such a trap with your own hands will not cause difficulties, and will require the following work:

1. Take a small piece of thick paper, cardboard, burlap or other dense material, the width of which should be 20-25 cm.
2. Impregnate the finished paper tape with an insecticidal preparation.
3. Fix the created trap on a tree trunk, retreating 50 cm from the ground.
4. The upper part of the paper belt must be additionally secured with film so that the poison is less eroded.

Once caught in such a trap, the ants are unable to escape and die from toxic fumes.

How to create a sticky belt

Sticky ant tape is most often used in combination with other methods, but even alone it helps gardeners cope well with garden pests. Velcro is characterized by a simple structure, so making them is not difficult. The principle of self-production of a sticky trap against harmful insects looks like this:

1. You need to prepare a paper tape 20-25 cm wide, the length of which will correspond to the circumference of the tree trunk;
2. The outer side must be coated with special glue, which is usually sold in gardening stores;
3. Fix the leaf on the tree trunk, pressing it tightly to the surface;
4. The gaps in the upper and lower parts of the paper belt must be covered with clay.

Anti-ant tape for trees will help you quickly deal with annoying garden pests and preserve the harvest.

Belt-collar

A catching belt-collar is a slightly more complicated design, and you will have to prepare for its creation by purchasing some material, which not everyone has on hand.
Yes, and “consumables” will have to be purchased periodically. But such a trap works great throughout the summer, does not injure the tree, is safe for people and animals, and can also be used for several years in a row, stretching as the tree grows. Intrigued? It's simple! You will need: a piece of soft rubber 4-5 mm thick, 30-40 cm wide and long enough to tightly grip the tree trunk; glue for rubber; bottle of sunflower oil.

Work order

1. Prepare the tree bark by removing dead and dry bark using a spatula or iron bristle brush.
2. At a height of 30-80 cm from the ground, wrap the tree with strips of bandage, polyethylene or fabric, 10-12 cm wide. in several turns. It is better to use non-woven material, it is not subject to rotting, because... dries quickly after rain and does not rot the tree bark. The total width of the belt should not exceed 20cm.
3. It is allowed to make a double belt - from 2 strips, at a distance of 20 cm from each other.
4. Tightly fix the future hunting belt with twine in 2 places - at the top and bottom of the belt, retreating 1.5-2 cm from the edges. It is better to use polypropylene twine.
5. Apply glue. Glue from the tube is applied with several encircling rims. Since the glue is very viscous, for uniform application of the glue, it is better to slightly heat the tube (50-60 degrees). Use a spatula to evenly distribute the glue. If aerosol glue is used, the width of the adhesive strip is about 10cm.
6. When using ready-made adhesive strips with an adhesive composition already applied, it is necessary to wrap a belt around the tree with a slight overlap of about 3 cm, with the sticky side facing out. For better fixation, you can also additionally tie it and tighten it with twine.
7. For a snug fit of the hunting belts, I can recommend using a foam rubber backing, or better yet, polystyrene foam.
8. After 60 days, you can renew the belts, although this is not necessary; the belt can remain operational throughout the season. Belts are usually renewed if they are completely covered with insects.

The collar belt is made as follows:

Measure the circumference of the tree trunk. Cut a strip of rubber of the required size (remember that the rubber must fit tightly around the barrel, otherwise the trap will simply fall off). Wrap a piece of rubber around the barrel and glue it along the cut edge or secure it in another way. Pull the lower part of the rubber upward so that a roller with a recess is formed on the barrel. Pour sunflower oil into the resulting sealed cup. There will regularly be pests in the oil that need to be removed. And it itself will evaporate, so you will have to periodically add more from the bottle. On average, one liter bottle of oil is enough for two large apple trees for a season. You can replace vegetable oil with technical oil - this will not affect the result.

How to remove from the greenhouse

The use of chemicals against ants will not always be a convenient option for eliminating pests, especially if a greenhouse where cultivated plants grow is being treated. They will absorb poisons, so it is better to give preference to folk remedies.

There are three types of ants most often found in the garden: red, black and brown. If the beds are located near the forest, then more often the first type appears on the site. Greenhouses are inhabited by black garden insects that consume young shoots of seedlings and seeds. They make nests directly in the beds, and while laying paths, the root system is damaged. Without timely measures, the greenhouse will have loose soil and a large number of holes in the ground.

For work in a greenhouse, it is recommended to use valerian. The whole bottle is diluted in ten liters of water, after which the plants, soil and the anthill itself are sprayed. In addition, the mixture helps kill whiteflies and other pests.

Ammonia

Ammonia is often used at home to repel ants. To do this, make a solution based on ten liters of water and 1 tbsp. alcohol Also add up to 4 tbsp. Sahara. All anthills in the greenhouse need to be filled.

Before pouring the product, you need to let it sit for 30 minutes. When the mixture is homogeneous, you can fill the nests and spray the plants. Crops do not suffer any harm from this method, because the concentration is minimal, but sufficient to kill ants.

Millet and semolina

Anthills in greenhouses can not only be filled, but also dusted. For this, ash, slaked lime, chili pepper, and mustard powder are used. At home, it is recommended to use millet as an independent remedy or in combination with semolina. You need to pour grain into the anthill, which the insects mistake for eggs and carry it into the house. After this, pour water over everything to swell and block the paths. After some time, it begins to emit a smell that repels ants. A similar action can be carried out using semolina with sugar, which destroys the stomach.

Ammonium nitrate against ants will help for dusting. To do this, it is simply poured dry or diluted in a small amount of water and poured into the nest. A couple of days are enough to eliminate the ants. It is best to perform the operation in the morning or evening. An equally effective option would be to loosen the anthill and sprinkle it with tobacco.

Vinegar

To prepare the product, you need to pour 500 ml of sunflower oil into a bucket of water; if you don’t have it, then corn, flaxseed or hemp oil will do. Add any shampoo or soap and a liter of vinegar. Mix everything thoroughly and in places where ants are most concentrated, you need to make holes in the soil and pour the mixture. It is best to use a spray bottle for these purposes. After the procedure, cover the area with film for three days.

The vinegar solution can be made with diesel fuel, kerosene or gasoline. The method will be effective if the ants are in the foundation, under the blind area. The mixture is poured into the holes through a syringe.

Soda

Before planting crops in a greenhouse, it is recommended to prevent the spread of ants, even if there are no nests. To do this, use a soda solution with the addition of linseed oil. The recipe is simple: add 1 tbsp to a liter of liquid. soda and 30 ml of oil. Complete destruction of the colony can be done by digging up the soil in the greenhouse and filling the tunnels with ash, soda or quicklime. This powder not only repels, but also kills ants.

A good effect is obtained if you use repellers. Essential oils and herbs can be used for this. The main effect is the pungent aroma. It is recommended to use cinnamon or lavender on trails and under plants. Among the essential oils, fir, spruce, lavender or tea tree are best.

When eliminating ants from a greenhouse, you need to know when to stop

There is no need to try to remove all the ants, it is important to monitor the population. After all, complete elimination disrupts the soil ecosystem in the greenhouse, which can cause an attack by other parasites

After settling, they completely destroy competitors, including spider mites, whiteflies and others.

Glass wool belt

Another way to catch pests, although not very attractive in appearance, also works. To do this, you will need to wrap the barrel with a piece of glass wool or foam rubber, and press this material on top with stretch film. Insects will get stuck in dense fiber with no chance of finding their way back, and you will only have to destroy them every 1-2 weeks and change the protective layer on the tree.

Natural enemies

If we talk about natural conditions, then in the forest hedgehogs, frogs, lizards and other animals are not averse to feasting on goosebumps. It will not be possible to create such a zoo in vegetable gardens and orchards, and they will do more harm than good. Therefore, you have to rely on nature and luck, which will attract natural pest exterminators without damaging the garden.

Birds are not averse to eating goosebumps, they especially love larvae and will not bypass the queen. During the day you can often see a picture of a bird raking the soil and diligently looking for something; it is looking for these particular pests.

But you can’t count on their help, because with large concentrations of pests, more than one bird is needed, and the process of destroying anthills takes time, and we all know that birds don’t like to be neighbors with people, so their help will be minimal.

An antlion can be an ideal savior; this beetle is the most dangerous for pests and is capable of completely clearing an area of ​​ants and other pests. If there is an opportunity to settle it on your site, this opportunity should not be missed.

Adhesive Hunting Belt

The most common victims of sticky belts are beetles, ants and caterpillars. Usually this type of trap is combined with others, but they also have a right to exist separately. In order to make an adhesive hunting belt, you will need: a sheet of paper (burlap, cardboard, rags, film) 20-25 cm wide and long enough to wrap around a tree trunk; special glue, resin or tar.

Wrap paper or other material around the tree trunk and secure it. Then smear the paper with glue, and carefully treat the bottom and top of the sheet with it so that insects cannot crawl along the trunk. Change the belt as the sticky layer dries (on average once every 3-4 weeks).

Duct tape

Sticky catching belts
For this purpose, use regular fly tape, which is sold in stores. There are special ready-made glue-based gels, but they are much more expensive and dry quickly. Sticky tape is wrapped around trees in a layer wide enough to make it difficult for insects to cross.

Important!

Ants can build a bridge through dangerous places using the bodies of dead relatives. Any trap needs to be checked periodically to ensure that insects do not penetrate the trees through such a bridge.

The option with sticky tape is the simplest, but it has a serious drawback: the tape is not elastic and can prevent young plantings from increasing in diameter. This is especially true for fast-growing seedlings like apple trees.

Adhesive tape for flies can be classified as a commercial trap belt, since it cannot be made independently. You can make the rest of the traps, which can stop not only ants, but also other crawling insects on tree trunks, with your own hands.

How to use the catch belt

A hunting belt against ants, aphids, goose and other insects that can destroy or significantly reduce your harvest should be attached to all fruit-bearing trees in your garden.
True, when installing traps, you also need to follow a number of rules: below the crown level; install belts on trees before the buds open; check the adhesive belts every 1-2 days, removing any pests; immediately destroy all caught pests; change or repair fishing belts in a timely manner; on stone fruits (cherries, sweet cherries, plums, apricots, etc.), remove the belts after harvesting, and on pome fruits (apple, pear) leave them until the end of October. Catching belts for apple trees, pears, cherries and other garden trees become real protection. With their low cost and ease of use, they allow you to cope with a variety of pests without causing damage to the environment and crops. Try using catcher belts on your property this year and see that this simple method works.

How to prepare a tree trunk

Before we start making the hunting belt, we will properly prepare the tree trunk for this event.

Attention! Preparing the base of the tree for installation of a catching belt is an action on which the effectiveness of the entire ant control activity directly depends.

Preparing a tree trunk for setting a trap requires compliance with one important rule. At the installation site of the belt, it is necessary to carefully cover all cracks in the bark, especially when processing old plantings. The following can be used as a putty material:

• clay + sawdust;
• plasticine, etc.

If you do not follow this rule, then insects will easily bypass the installed barriers through cracks, and all pest control measures taken will be useless.

What is it used for?

If the apple tree does not have such a belt, it is easy for pests to get to the young and tender leaves, flowers and fruits along the branches, because all this is excellent food for them. Throughout the growing season of the apple tree, there is more than enough of this delicacy for them. Unfortunately, this is not greed, but a common fact - such insects are very harmful to the trees, and the consequences can be irreversible: the harvest falls, the beauty begins to wither and get sick. When autumn comes, insects descend from the apple tree and return to their traditional habitats.

What's all this for? Moreover, it is in spring and autumn that apple trees can be effectively protected with the help of catching belts. During this period they are most effective. In spring, they prevent insects from penetrating the bark and thicket of the crown, which helps protect flowers and leaf buds. In summer, it serves as a trap for caterpillars, which head to the tree in which they pupate. A self-made catching belt can destroy up to 40 percent of all pests in a season. Of course, it is not effective in all cases. For example, the codling moth begins to fly in August, at which time there is practically nothing you can do with it, but if you use a belt, you can catch many caterpillars in advance and reduce the number of butterflies.

Barrier methods

To protect the harvest of fruit trees, pest control measures must be taken in a timely manner. An effective method is to install barriers at ground level. You can do this in several ways:

1. Using a car tire. Cut it in half, dig a ditch under the tree and place part of the tire there, digging it well and fixing it with earth. Pour water inside: ants cannot swim, so the tree will be reliably protected.
2. Through chalk. To get rid of ants on a personal plot and protect fruit trees, crushed chalk is scattered on the ground at the roots, and the trunks are rubbed with this powder. White particles stick to the paws of insects, impairing grip, so the pests simply fall from the tree and cannot reach the branches with young shoots.
3. Using foil. To prevent pests from climbing trees, a kind of “skirt” of foil is formed around the trunk. It is difficult for insects to crawl on a slippery surface, so they fall to the ground.