What's poking holes in my pines?

[chim]

Several nicely spaced horizontal rows of holes about 3/16" in diameter showed up on a couple pines at my place.

 

[xrocketengineer]

Looks like a Woodpecker to me. All my trees are like that. And the racket they make when they try on the aluminum siding of the house or on a street light.

 

[dirtydeed]

definitely 'peckers. I hate them all with a passion.

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

Likely a small woodpecker, the yellow-bellied sapsucker feeding on the tree sap and the bugs that are then attracted to the sweet sticky sap.

Tree stress from humans, animals, or something else increases sugars in the tree to provide energy to help repair the tree in damaged areas. Some birds (like sapsuckers), animals, and insects can detect the sweet tree sap and are attracted to the area. Sapsuckers bore "sap wells" in the weakened area, which can lead to fungus, bacteria, and insect damage and possibly affect the entire tree.

To repair the wound area paint it with 3% hydrogen peroxide on the wound area, then smear the wound with a mixture of:
1/3 compost
1/3 soft rock phosphate
1/3 food grade Diatomaceous Earth

The mixture creates a protective layer woodpeckers aren't fond of.

To strengthen the tree, buy dollar-store tuna, put one can in the blender, fill 1/4 with water, blend until fully pulverized, then fill all the way with water and blend for 30 seconds. Make 1 to 2 gallons and pour around the root base.

 

[NCL4701]

Insect holes (pine borers, etc.) are more random. Agree with others: sapsuckers.

Holes in Tree Trunks

Occasionally homeowners will notice small holes in the trunks of landscape trees. This may not mean impending death to the tree, but it’s not good. The presence of holes usually means that an insect or woodpecker has taken an interest in your tree, and your tree may be in a state of decline.

extension.purdue.edu

 

[Wooddog63]

I’m in the Adirondacks north of you and those are sap suckers for sure. Pine sap runs February to May- on North East .
I’m going to cut my straight pine trees next week I need for my log cabin purlins- with the sap running the bark peels right off, it’s messy but a time savor. When I first cut the trees in September, I used a chipping hammer to peel the bark, sticks on like glue. Love that sap on my truck hood !!

 

[RCW]

I was uncertain at first, but I agree that’s a sapsucker also.

 

[chim]

Thank you all for the fast response!

 

[Sidekick]

I get the same holes in my big maples.

 

[WI_Hedgehog]

I get the same holes in my big maples.

For the same reason (they like maples too).

 

[xrocketengineer]

The woodpeckers were a problem for the space shuttle too: Woodecker Patrol