Tree Banding Tape in Vineyards: Ant Barriers Against Mealybugs
Vineyard IPM programs track mealybugs closely: the sap-feeders contaminate clusters with honeydew and sooty mold, and in some regions they spread leafroll disease. Spray as they might, growers watch colonies return. The missing piece is usually at ground level. Ants tend mealybug colonies like livestock, ferry crawlers between vines, and drive off natural enemies. A…