Sticky Band & Trap the Climbers
Traps mealybugs
“This tool gets better every time someone says what confused them.
Enter trunk circumference, band width and number of trees to get the total sticky-band length and areaneeded to trap crawling pests like mealybugs, ants and looper caterpillars.
Band the trunks
Next: buy about 120 m of band (18 m²) and wrap each trunk snugly, re-coating the sticky layer when it dries or fills with trapped pests.
Sticky bands (grease bands or glue-coated wraps) trap crawling pests — mealybugs, ants, caterpillars — climbing the trunk; refresh the sticky coat through the season.
Sticky band — key facts
- Band length
- trunk circumference × trees
- Band area
- length × band width
- Per tree
- = trunk circumference
- Traps
- mealybugs, ants, loopers
- Placement
- below lowest branches
- Refresh
- re-coat through the season
- Type
- non-chemical barrier
- Privacy
- Runs in your browser; nothing uploaded
Stop crawling pests before they reach the canopy
Many of the worst tree pests live in the soil or litter and crawl up the trunk to feed — mealybugs, the ants that protect them, looper caterpillars and weevils. A sticky band wrapped around the trunk is a clean physical barrier that traps them on the way up, no spray required. The length you need per tree is simply the trunk circumference, and total area is that length times your band width.
This tool turns trunk circumference, band width and tree count into the total band length and sticky area to buy and coat, so a whole orchard is covered with the right amount. Place bands below the lowest branches and refresh the sticky coat through the season as it fills with debris. Pair it with the Sticky Trap, Pheromone Trap and Tree-Row-Volume tools for a complete trap-and-spray plan.
Cover the orchard
Total band length and area for every tree.
No spraying
A clean physical barrier for IPM and organic.
Catch the climbers
Mealybugs, ants and caterpillars on the trunk.
Buy the right amount
Area tells you how much sticky compound to get.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a sticky band?+
A sticky band — also called a grease band — is a strip wrapped around a tree trunk and coated with a sticky substance. Crawling pests climbing up from the soil get stuck before they reach the canopy. It is a simple, pesticide-free physical barrier used on fruit trees, ornamentals and plantation crops.
How is the band length calculated?+
Band length per tree equals the trunk circumference — the distance once around the trunk — because the band wraps the trunk completely. Total length = trunk circumference × number of trees. The band area = total length × band width, which tells you how much sticky coating to buy.
Which pests does it trap?+
Sticky bands catch crawling pests that climb the trunk: mealybugs, ants that farm and protect them, looper and other caterpillars, and weevils. It does not stop flying pests, so it pairs well with sticky traps and pheromone traps that target the airborne and adult stages.
Why band the trunk?+
Many serious pests overwinter or breed in the soil and litter, then crawl up the trunk to feed in the canopy. A band placed below the lowest branches intercepts them on the way up, breaking the cycle before they reach the fruit and leaves — a clean barrier that needs no spraying.
How often should I refresh the coat?+
Refresh the sticky coat through the season as it fills with debris, dust and trapped insects or dries out — often every few weeks during peak pest activity. A band that has crusted over or dried is no longer sticky and lets pests walk straight across, so check and re-coat regularly.
Where on the trunk should the band go?+
Place the band on a smooth section of trunk below the lowest branches, usually around knee height. Smooth the bark or use a backing wrap first so pests cannot slip underneath through bark cracks. The band must fully encircle the trunk — any gap is an open door for crawlers.
What band width should I use?+
A wider band is harder for pests to bridge with debris or by clustering, so 8–15 cm is common. Enter your chosen width and the tool multiplies it by the total length to give the sticky area, which sets how much grease or sticky compound you need to coat them all.
Does it harm the tree?+
Used correctly it does not — the sticky compound sits on a wrap or band, not on bare bark, and is removed at season's end. Avoid coating young thin bark directly with harsh grease; use a backing strip. The barrier is non-chemical, so it is well suited to organic and IPM programmes.
Are the figures precise?+
They are accurate quantity figures from your trunk circumference, width and tree count. Real coverage varies with bark roughness, how thickly you coat, and refresh frequency through the season. Use the total to buy enough band and compound, then re-coat as needed to keep the barrier working.
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