I have been dealing with tree pests for many years – battling their hungry insect minions seeking to devour the trees in my care. My quiver is filled with an assortment of armaments and at times I relish the battle. There is an enemy though, a pest of another family… Picidae – the woodpecker family.

I like woodpeckers – and still have fond memories of Woody Woodpecker.  I’m also a fan of the large, loud and in my opinion, wonderful pileated woodpecker. But there is a woodpecker that lurks in your wood – and it likes the blood of your favorite trees (sap actually).

OK, it’s a sapsucker – from the genus Sphyrapicus and it could be the reason your birch, maple, apple and even some evergreens trees might be ailing. Sapsuckers prefer healthy, sweet sapped trees, and at times have no interest in insects. The numerous holes resulting from the bird’s borings are often too much damage for the tree to overcome – and the loss of the tree or affected stem is common.

If only the bird could be trained to feed on River birch!

Yellow- Bellied Sapsucker <- Click here to listen to the bird on audio!