Pine and Spruce Insects

Yellow Belly Sapsucker

Even though the Yellowbelly Sapsucker is not an insect, but a bird, its damage is sometimes confused with Zimmerman pine moth or canker diseases. The sapsucker makes feeding holes in line patterns (one or more lines of holes, several holes to many holes per line, lines may be across or up and down or on an angle). The holes are made on the trunk between the branch whorls and not at the whorls. The location separates the bird from Zimmerman and the holes separates it from canker diseases. Pitch often accumulates over these holes after the bird leaves. The bird is protected.

Place an inflated snake near the affected area in the tree during migration. This can help reduce additional damage.

Written by James Schuster, Extension Educator, Horticulture, and reviewed by Dr. Phil Nixon Extension State Specialist, Entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.