I have (had?) a 3 foot threadleaf Japanese maple (no cultivar name). There has been a lot of snow this winter and I noticed that the main trunk is split at the top where the two sets of semicascading branches separate. The split is 4-6 inches long. (I presume all the snow piling on the branches caused the split.)

A. Can I bound the split when the snow melts using strips of cloth? If not strips of cloth, is there something that would bound the joint without cutting into the bark? Duct tape over the cloth?

B. Does it make sense to drill a hole and bolt the split closed? The plant is 15 years old and the wood at the joint is maybe 1.5-2 inches in diameter.

C. I am assuming that I will have to leave the binding material in place for several seasons. Are there precautions I have to take against boring insects or other pests hiding? What should I worry about?

I live in suburban Washington DC. Plenty of JMs in my yard and the area. The damage is from the snow not the cold.

Thanks.