Woodpecker Damage is Cropping Up All Over Paulding

Reports of sapsucker damage are rampant. I have had calls and emails from people who thought this damage was caused by Southern Pine Beetles, other insects or even diseases. However, sapsucker damage is pretty easy to distinguish from other problems. Sapsuckers drill small holes in the bark that appear in very consistent patterns. The holes are initially about the size of the end of a pencil, and are usually fairly evenly spaced. Sometimes they appear round and other times they are a bit squared off. 

Sapsuckers are a small woodpecker that feeds on sap from trees. I frequently receive reports about damage caused by sapsuckers to maples, pines, oaks, and other tree species in our area. The picture to the right was submitted by Paulding County resident Kay Swisloski and shows the characteristic damage caused by sapsuckers. 

Homeowners often attribute sapsucker damage to an insect or disease. However, the damage is purely a physical injury caused by the feeding habits of the bird. The physical injury may be an entry point for disease or insect pests, but usually this damage is not a cause for great concern. A healthy tree can withstand sapsucker feeding. 

Typically, the sapsuckers are gone by the time a homeowner notices this type of damage and no control is recommended. Sapsuckers do have a tendency to feed on the same trees year after year. If you wish to protect your tree from further damage, the trunk can be wrapped in loose burlap during the feeding season, which in our area is usually in the late summer and early fall. These woodpeckers are federally protected by the law, so lethal control is not an option. 

You can learn more about the biology and habits of the sapsucker by checking out this publication from the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension.

You are also welcome to send photos of suspected sapsucker damage (or any landscape problem) to msheff@uga.edu to help you identify it and make recommendations regarding control if any is needed. 

Paulding County Cooperative Extension is an Equal Opportunity Organization that operates as part of the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and Paulding County government. Our purpose is to bring current research and information to the people of Paulding County in the areas of agriculture and natural resources, 4-H and youth development, and family and consumer sciences. You can learn more on our webpage, www.ugaextension.com/paulding.