Holes in apple trees

[Peeps]

I was replacing trunk screens today noticed these holes on several of my older (7 yr old) trees. The trees look good otherwise. Is this from birds or something else and how can I combat this. I spray my trees about every 2 weeks with Imadan during the summer.

 

[Turkey Creek]

Sapsucker, type of bird. Generally not something to be extremely concerned about unless the damage gets a lot worse.

 

[Prof.Kent]

You need to spray your birds...

 

[Peeps]

You need to spray your birds...
View attachment 57692

Now that made me laugh. Good one !! Loved it !! I’ll take the sap suckers over the bears that break and tip my trees over.

 

[BobinCt]

Peeps: I ran into that problem with sapsuckers last year. They started on like 5 different trees so what I did was put aluminum window screen on the areas . Some trees have like a 4 ft strip of it, but it’s been deterring them. I’m pretty sure it can kill your trees.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

My wife and I were just to a National Historic site here in SE Pa. where there are dozens of apple trees that were planted more than 80 years ago. They all had hundreds of sapsuckers holes drilled into them, but they were alive and producing apples. FWIW.

 

[cavey]

ARRRRRG Wood peckering sap suckering feathered flying, airborne tree rats.... You would think they were running some kind of covert maple syrup, apple flavored tapping ring. Once they get on a tree they are there for ever it seems.

 

[Telemark]

I would definitely try to protect the trees and get rid of the birds. I've seen them kill apple trees before.

 

[Bill]

I'm no expert by any means. I've only had run ins with sap suckers twice. Both experiences were bad.

One on the Apple tree in my yard at the farm. Someone planted it over 60 years ago. They killed it.

The second is at my home on an American Holly tree. I'll be cutting it down soon.
Just took these pics.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

^ ^ ^ ^ Those look like borer holes to me. Too neat & clean compared to sapsuckers' holes I've seen. Sapsuckers' holes appear more ragged around the edges. Maybe there are other sapsucker varieties that make neat holes??? Our holes aren't anywhere near that perfect.

 

[homerj]

Sapsucker damage

Borer holes

Sapsucker damage, also with borer holes. The sapsucker likely stressed the tree/bush quite a bit, making it more susceptible to insect/borer damage.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

^ ^ ^ ^ I was looking at those perfectly round holes - and not the other drillings. Looks like a combination of both borers & sapsucker damage. I don't know how we can keep sapsuckers from drilling into our trees. I've seen many fruit trees that look like your 1st pic in post #11 - but those trees still put on lots of fruit.

 

[homerj]

I don't know how we can keep sapsuckers from drilling into our trees.

Wrap the impacted areas with aluminum window screen. They'll move on to easier targets.

Many growers also report good success by coating the impacted areas with Tanglefoot. Seems the sapsuckers don't enjoy sticky beaks

 

[bigboreblr]

Wrap the impacted areas with aluminum window screen. They'll move on to easier targets.

Many growers also report good success by coating the impacted areas with Tanglefoot. Seems the sapsuckers don't enjoy sticky beaks

Was reading the articles in the fedco catalog.

If you use tanglefoot on your trees, it keeps the ants out. IF you keep the ants out, the aphids don't have a spot to feed from the ant injury site. Say they go away in a few days. I swear all of nature is out to get our trees.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Wrap the impacted areas with aluminum window screen. They'll move on to easier targets.

Many growers also report good success by coating the impacted areas with Tanglefoot. Seems the sapsuckers don't enjoy sticky beaks

With the number of trees we have at camp, I could keep the "screen factory" working overtime!! For some reason, sapsuckers have seemed to only target certain trees. Maybe it's only a matter of time until they drill the rest of them.

 

[homerj]

For some reason, sapsuckers have seemed to only target certain trees.

This is the case for many growers. Since they only target certain trees, you shouldn't need to be keeping the screen makers or Tanglefoot producers working overtime.