We all love the spring time, being able to sit outside and enjoy the weather, and of course all the beautiful varieties of birds and their songs. Until you hear the repetitive an consistent drilling of a nearby woodpecker looking for food and leaving large open wounds in our trees as they leave. This damage can leave your trees open for insects, disease and affect the overall health of your trees.

What does woodpecker damage look like?

Luckily, it doesn’t take a certified Arborist in Bethlehem to identify the damage left behind from those pesky woodpeckers. Woodpeckers aren’t generally picky eaters but they do tend to stick to a select few species such as maple, pine, fruit trees, spruce and birch. They leave behind a very distinct trail of precise horizontal and vertical rows of holes at about 2-8” in diameter. Just big enough to suck some sap right out of your trees. If your tree doesn’t resemble the picture below, you might have a different intruder that can be identified by a certified Arborist.

How can I prevent any further damage?

It might be too late to mend up the damage that the sapsuckers have caused on your trees, however, you can try and prevent future attacks by using some of the following tips:

• Use a woodpecker feeder as a decoy

• Plant fruit bushes away from your house and trees for them to feed on

• Use burlap or bird netting over the affected trees

• Use a woodpecker sound deterrent

• Set up decoys as a scare tactic

• Call a tree care professional

IF YOU HAVE HOLES IN YOUR TREES THAT NEED ATTENTION, CALL A TREE CARE PROFESSIONAL TODAY!