Limb damage

[greyphase]

I noticed this damage on two limbs on a 3 year old Black Limbertwig this winter. It looked like a mouse or vole had chewed it but I've never heard of a mouse or vole climbing a tree to chew the bark. The limbs has leafed out above the damage but I may prune them off anyway. Anyone have any thoughts, comments, or suggestions as to what's going on here.

 

[buckvelvet]

Maybe some sort of a crazy location sunscald? Here is hoping it's that cuz if you have ninja mice I'm not sure how you stop that!

 

[Prof.Kent]

Looks like fence wire rubbing but it's on the top of the limb. Weird.

 

[Native Hunter]

I've never seen anything like that on an apple tree.

I planted some bush cherries last year and had something to eat them off inside a 5 foot cage about 18 inches above the ground. That was strange, and I never understood what happened. I've got screen wire 2 feet high around them now inside the cage and all going well this year.

 

[Natureboy]

I have had similar damage but higher up on larger branches of bigger trees, bark on the top of the branch chewed off. I turned out to be a porkey, I doubt that one could wedge himself in there to get those branches though.

 

[greyphase]

Thanks for the comments. Their all things I thought of but ruled out. If the tree were bigger I would guess porkey.

 

[Apple Junkie]

I'm not sure if this is related, but I noticed something this year I don't recall seeing before. The bark on this "hedgerow" apple appeared to be chewed off. The damage is at lease 5' off the ground, eliminating rabbit damage in my mind. I don't think we have the same culprit, but everything seems to like eating apple trees.

 

[Prof.Kent]

PORCUPINES!

 

[Wild Thing]

or Squirrels? Those little limbs on Apple Junkie's tree wouldn't support the weight of a porky that far out.

 

[WTNUT]

It is not well known at this point as news of this type travels slow and people are somewhat reluctant to pass it along for fear of being ostracized. Last fall up in the northwest where the twin waters meet, researches discovered evolution taking place before their own eyes. Momma and Pappa Bigfoot had a little Baby Foot and the little guy loves apples so Momma and Pappa have been trying to learn how to grow apples. Their huge fingernails accidentally scraped your trees while they were looking at them. Set up a few game cameras and send us some Bigfoot pics.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Apple Junkie]

I'd love to catch bigfoot on trail cam, funny how that has never happened - or cougars in NY. still, I do wish I had a trail cam on this tree to remove all doubt about the offender.

 

[NE PA QDM]

I noticed this damage on two limbs on a 3 year old Black Limbertwig this winter. It looked like a mouse or vole had chewed it but I've never heard of a mouse or vole climbing a tree to chew the bark. The limbs has leafed out above the damage but I may prune them off anyway. Anyone have any thoughts, comments, or suggestions as to what's going on here.

I found something nearly identical today on a three year old tree, about 6 feet off the ground on a branch not much thicker than a pencil. Very curious.

 

[Skelly]

Those limbs get really thin at the tip? Can’t imaging many creatures light enough to sit on the branches at the tip.

Is the damage just to the cambium layer or does it go into the wood?

Maybe a catapiller ??

 

[greyphase]

Those limbs get really thin at the tip? Can’t imaging many creatures light enough to sit on the branches at the tip.

Is the damage just to the cambium layer or does it go into the wood?

Maybe a catapiller ??

The limb was chewed into the wood. I noticed it this winter. I thought I had taken a pic then, but can't find it. When I first saw it, it really looked like some creature had chewed the bark off.

 

[Skelly]

The limb was chewed into the wood. I noticed it this winter. I thought I had taken a pic then, but can't find it. When I first saw it, it really looked like some creature had chewed the bark off.

I googled creatures that eat bark. An interesting item that came up was the large hornets (we call them japenese hornets, not sure if that’s the correct name). They say they will strip softer trees of their bark in autumn for their nests. ‍