Anyone know anything about trees?

[molten_dragon]

I was out in the back yard the other day, and noticed that one of the trees in our yard has a bunch of little holes in the trunk. They're about the size of my little finger, and I'm not quite sure how deep they go. Anyone have any idea what they might be? Do termites eat live wood, or only dead? Maybe a woodpecker (I've never heard one)? I'm kind of worried if it's rotten inside it could fall, and it's big enough to do a lot of damage. Not sure how clear the picture is.

 

[UtahBill]

Pine/evergreen tree? Deciduous?

Pine bark beetle is deadly on older pines, the younger pines can generate a lot of sap to fill those holes and kill the bugs, but older pines can not...

 

[molten_dragon]

Pine/evergreen tree? Deciduous?

Pine bark beetle is deadly on older pines, the younger pines can generate a lot of sap to fill those holes and kill the bugs, but older pines can not...

It's a deciduous tree. Other than that I'm not entirely sure what it is. I'm pretty sure it's not a maple or an oak, I'd recognize either of those.

 

[ttwtt78640]

I was out in the back yard the other day, and noticed that one of the trees in our yard has a bunch of little holes in the trunk. They're about the size of my little finger, and I'm not quite sure how deep they go. Anyone have any idea what they might be? Do termites eat live wood, or only dead? Maybe a woodpecker (I've never heard one)? I'm kind of worried if it's rotten inside it could fall, and it's big enough to do a lot of damage. Not sure how clear the picture is.

View attachment 67138785

Possibilities abound:

Acorn Woodpecker, Life History, All About Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Can a Woodpecker Damage a Healthy Tree? | eHow.com

http://www.dnr.wa.gov/Publications/rp_fh_wadnrbarkbeetle.pdf

Tree Disease and Insect Guide | Hardwoods | Forest Health | Virginia Department of Forestry

 

[specklebang]

The problem is they make them out of wood, which is perishable. I've always advocated steel trees which could double up for phone and power lines.

 

[Fisher]

Woodpecker damage tends to be symmetrical--like holes in a line. This does not appear to be that way. I agree it is probably some kind of insect damage. Your local extension agency could probably tell you if you have one

 

[Dittohead not!]

Woodpecker, no doubt.

It's not the woodpecker that you need to worry about so much as what the bird was after. Birds like to eat bugs, bugs like to eat trees. You have an infestation of some sort of insects in this tree, or the woodpecker wouldn't have been interested.

 

[lizzie]

Is it a variety of ash tree? If so, it could be that you have emerald ash borers, and the holes are from woodpeckers eating them. Just a thought.

 

[molten_dragon]

Is it a variety of ash tree? If so, it could be that you have emerald ash borers, and the holes are from woodpeckers eating them. Just a thought.

I really have no idea. Plants aren't my forte.

 

[Dickieboy]

This looks like either a white oak or red elm. A photo of a leaf would enable a more certain identification. The holes in the photo are definately woodpeckers and are usually of no concern. IF it is a elm they are notorious for being hollow especially the older ones but they usually die before falling.

 

[wolfman24]

Both beetles or woodpeckers could be right.

I have a few guestions.

1. It looks like an evergreen yes?

2. Do the holes look like the sap from the tree has covered them over or does the inside of the hole look sappy or dark?

3. Are there any marks around the holes or have you noticed any shavings or very small pieces of wood inside the hole?

4. Is the tree viable? Living and in good condition.

5. If it is deciduous are the leaves falling off prematurely? or if coniferous are the lower needles turning brown or the top of the tree have brown needles?

There is no real way to tell for sure without more info.