Damage to trees caused by woodpeckers can be a severe issue. Read on to learn more about how to get rid of woodpeckers and stop woodpecker damage.
How to Get Rid of Woodpeckers: First Identify Them
Woodpecker tree damage typically appears as tree holes. Based on the woodpecker species that is messing with your tree, these holes could be in a straight line or bunched. Most of the time, these holes are small. However, if the woodpecker has made your tree a nesting place, the gap could be quite significant.
Woodpecker tree holes occur for various reasons. In many instances, woodpeckers hunt insects that are in the tree. You not only have a woodpecker issue, but you probably have a pest issue too. Some types of woodpeckers make holes in trees so they can get at the sap. Other reasons include storing food and attracting mates.
Woodpecker Damage Repair
Before starting any repair work, inspect the damage. Decide how bad it is. 
After you determine what sort of woodpecker tree damage you have, you can create a plan to fix it. If the damage is minor (a couple of small holes), you shouldn’t do any repair.
Sealing the holes can trap disease, worsening the tree’s condition. Use a fungicide on the woodpecker holes to keep illness away. Allow the wounds to heal on their own. Check the damaged area often until it is improved.
For large woodpecker holes, treat the injured part with fungicide and shield the hole with galvanized mesh. You can fasten the mesh to the tree with bolts. The mesh will keep pests out and stop any more damage from occurring while the tree heals.
Preventing Woodpecker Damage
The best way to stop any damage by woodpeckers is to stop the woodpecker from coming close to the tree in the first place. Bird netting is a popular way to stop woodpeckers from bothering trees. Though, other methods, like applying sticky products on the trunk, will work as well. Also, you can cover the trunk in cloth or mesh to aid in deterring woodpeckers.
Call us at Orchard Park Tree Service for more information on how to handle your woodpecker problem.
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