Help! Sap Sucker attack! What do I do????

16 years ago

Hi All,

I have a large, very tall Norway Spruce tree in the front of my yard. I have lived here 11 years and it has presented no problems.

Recently however I noticed curious rows of round holes in the side of the trunk, about 1 - 2" apart, bleeding sap. Sometimes there is one row, sometimes two or three. They are scattered around the trunk, and the ants are eating the sap like mad.

Wondering if the ants were doing this, I got on http://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org (which recently seems to have crashed and nobody can access), and someone mentioned that I probably have Sap Suckers, and to look them up. I never was able to talk to anyone there again.

In any case, I looked up sap suckers, and this is what I found:

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http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/howtos/ht_sap/sap.htm

"Sapsuckers feeding on shade and ornamental trees leave unsightly bleeding wounds that attract bees, hornets, and other insects to the sweet, oozing sap. On forest trees these wounds may attract porcupines or red squirrels that further injure the trees through feeding.

"After repeated attacks on the same area of a tree, large patches of bark may be removed. If this area is girdled, the portion of tree above this point will die. Many small limbs are killed and some- times the trunk is girdled and the whole tree is killed"

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Okay, this has me somewhat concerned. So how do I get rid of these 'sap suckers'....?

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http://www.winnipeg.ca/publicworks/Brochures/TreeProblems.asp

"Distracting (Sap Sucker) Birds: Use string with pieces of foil or coloured flagging tape tied at one foot intervals to discourage the flight of birds such as sapsuckers. Several strings strung in the vicinity of trees that have been attacked will quickly discourage birds from visiting them."

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Has anyone done this? I can't really picture what they're talking about. My tree is about 100 feet high, so it would take more than several strings.

This one has me particularly worried:

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http://vancouver.asklocally.com/whats_a_humane_way_to_get_rid_of_a_woodpecker

Submitted by Guest on Mon, 04/04/2005 - 10:44pm.

"Hi there,

Where we live in North Vancouver we are always fending off wood peckers and sap suckers. Where the bird is pecking try placing a wild coloured beach ball and hang it there...we've done this and it works. It was an animal control company that showed us this.

Doug"

"One more thing...wood peckers are usually going after insects that are within the wood of a tree or siding and not really going after the wood itself...so double check for carpenter ant activity or something like that...

Cheers!"

--------------

Okay, so are we back to carpenter ants, which was what I originally feared? Or should I go to WalMart and pick up some beach balls and strap them to my tree. These might get some comments or talk from the neighbors, in my front yard.

I can say it would be tragic to have this tree die, or for it to become a favourite snack stick for sap suckers until it acquires gaping, unsightly wounds and/or a dead girdled top. Taken at faith that my tree doesn't also have a nest of carpenter ants, has anyone had experiences with these sap suckers? How did you get rid of these fly-by-night tree assassins???

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Comments (11)

Kimmsr
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I have had numerous trees visited by Sap Suckers (members of the Woodpecker family) with no problem from these birds. Some of the trees did die, for other reasons that the Sap Suckers, though. The ants may be there cleaning out other pests since they rarely are the cause of any problem. Ants may indicate a problem, such as a hole in the tree that allows water to accumulate inside the tree that will allow rot and this may be what the carpenter ants are working on, but they did not cause that problem.
botanybob
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
The rows of holes do sound like sapsuckers. Although related to woodpeckers, they are not going after insects in the tree, but the sap (hence the name sapsucker). You shouldn't have to worry about ants.

I've seen a lot of sapsucker damage, but never heard of them going after conifers. I see them on aspen, birch, mountain-ash, and some small maples like amur maple. I would be surprised if they ate pitch from a conifer.

Typically sapsuckers feed for a couple of weeks and move on. The small wounds they make can heal over, although if there are a lot of them - several rows - then there is the risk that sections of bark will die and more serious damage occurs. If the sapsuckers are actively feeding, they will return to the same tree several times a day. If so, it is time to try the beach balls.
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jeffery1493
Original Author
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I took at tip from somewhere and strung crumpled tinfoil in several places around the tree, seeing if that might divert their snacking. The tree is bleeding quite alot now. Have yet to see if this works.

The ants are black, about 1" long, with grey/black striped rears. I found a carpenter ant picture that looked exactly like them, but then many others that did not. They are clearly eating the sap.

I'm wondering if I should put ant traps out there or something, don't want them to hollow out the tree, or move on to the house and start tunneling into the girders..........I don't notice any piles of sawdust anywhere though.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Sapsuckers are often found on pines. Whether or not they do so for the sap, I don't know, but they absolutely eat the insects that are attracted to the sap!
jeffery1493
Original Author
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I give up. I can't get a definitive answer on any site, anywhere on the web.

I guess I'll just have to wait, and see if the tree falls over next storm season.....if that happens, it was infested.
edv7028
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hi...
If you find a working remedy for these sap suckers, and or a photo of them, please let me know. Here are also some pix of the damage done to my Fan-Tex Ash that people have been telling is from Sap Suckers I've never seen even though I'm around that tree from early morning to early evening. Are they Night Birds ???
nutriman
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
My trees have been fighting sap suckers for 15 years they have learned how to build bark so hard that the little suckers cannot penetrate. so they work on softer spots on new limbs. Making sure the tree is healthy helps. Having a dog that likes to chase them off helps. The eagles, hawks, and neighbors dog ate my cats. They have a tendency to lessen attacks especially when they are tree climbers. but the best suggestion I heard is a BB or pellet Gun gasp! I haven't tried that yet. The ants are just opportunists and are not the cause. I have an apple tree that has bark on one side only due to those little suckers and it still put on apples this year.
Kimmsr
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Keep in mind that Sap Suckers, as song birds, are protected species not game birds and harming them, by shooting at them with even pellet guns, can result in hefty fines in court.
dougt
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Well, its not that complicated if you think about it. Obviously the bird uses its beek to feed, so why don't you put something on the bark of the tree that they don't like, like cayenne pepper or liquid soap or something. Yes if it rains you will have to re-apply, but if they checked the tree out for a few days and didnt like the taste or smell they probably wont come back. It would keep the ants out as well. Good luck.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
16 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
There have been several studies indicating that wrapping burlap (or other breath-able fabric) around the trunk will stop the sapsuckers.

Birds don't taste the 'heat' from peppers, by the way. Cayenne doesn't deter them one single bit, as indicated by the cayenne-laced bird seed you can buy to keep squirrels away.
writerjay
14 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hello all,

We have a lovely willow tree that has been/still is being attacked by a sap sucker. I have wrapped it (to death) with some cloth-stuff I found at our local harware shop and it works pretty well. BUT, where it isn't wrapped or even if a small seem has not covered the trunk or branch or what have you, the darn bird has drilled it's holes...I'm off to buy some beach balls! Thank you for the tip!

Here is a link that might be useful: Home of Jay Gilbertson-author & pumpkin seed oil producer

Help! Sap Sucker attack! What do I do????

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