Gem99ultra
Elite Member
What kind of animal or insect strips a Sweetgum tree like this?
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Any info would be appreciated.
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Any info would be appreciated.
What kind of insect/animal
- Thread starter Gem99ultra
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Thomas
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Dang...at first thought it might be woodpecker.
LouNY
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If it was around here that would be the answer, the large pileated woodpeckers,
they will strip and shred a tree in a hurry going after insects.
dmccarty
Super Star Member
We have a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers on our place so maybe he has some. I often hear them since they have a very distinctive call but seeing them can be difficult because they are very skittish.
I have seen trees like that before but not on our place.
Maybe it is just a giant bear....
:shocked::shocked::shocked::laughing::laughing::laughing:
Later,
Dan
jbrumberg
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I agree. They are avian chainsaws. I've watched them strip and tear into a dead softwood.
EddieWalker
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Just looks like a dead tree that has been rotting away for years. Why it died might be because of woodpeckers, but then trees just die sometimes without any really good reason.
Gary Fowler
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Got to be woodpeckers for sure. As for what caused it to die, could be anything from a lightening strike to wood borers to drought.
oosik
Epic Contributor
Lordy - even the worst of any pine bark beetle infestations never look that bad. The pine dies and the beetles move on, long before it looks anything like that. We have a brand of woodpecker - sapsucker - that's a miniature version of the pileated woodpecker. Raise havoc with my fruit trees.
Einthewoods
Platinum Member
Porcupine in the area? They can wreak havoc on trees.
oosik
Epic Contributor
"E" - if I thought that might be a porcupine - I'd be carrying more than my flashlight for my nightly trips. I have no idea what a sweetgum tree is but around here the porkys attack younger pine trees (generally less than 6" in base diameter) or the very tippy top of bigger pines. Going for the soft underbark.
Egon
Epic Contributor
Bug infestation followed by hungry Woodpeckers. Pilated leave large wood chunks.
Redbug
Veteran Member
Pileated Woodpecker.
OP
Gem99ultra
Elite Member
yep - we do indeed have featured friends of all denominations, as well as a number of other critters. With your suggestion, I did a search for Pileated Woodpeckers, and found plenty of videos with those big guys in action. Here's more pictures of him/them working on a pine tree log laying in the woods:
PILOON
Super Star Member
The large pileated woodpeckers, LOL, that or a chain saw.
I have referred them as having carbide tipped chisel as a beak.
Those guys can generate pails full of wood chips in no time at all.
Beautiful bird but extremely shy, you are lucky to ever even see him.
His trademark is that the hole is rather rectangular in shape.
I have referred them as having carbide tipped chisel as a beak.
Those guys can generate pails full of wood chips in no time at all.
Beautiful bird but extremely shy, you are lucky to ever even see him.
His trademark is that the hole is rather rectangular in shape.
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2LaneCruzer
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They are rare around here; I can only recall ever seeing one. They are surprisingly large and strikingly beautiful ...even if they do look a little bit like Woody.
newbury
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Yes the first picture seems to be a construction of 3 or 4 images, fairly well done.
If they only did that to sweetgum - Where can I buy them? Maybe a dozen pair?
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Gem99ultra
Elite Member
Save your money... I found a pine log on the property where they were shredding it to pieces in the same way. Apparently they aren't all that picky on tree variety.
I've never seen this one, or more around here, but I did have a pair nesting back in Texas. There they are truly rare there as well. We had bird watchers coming by with binoculars to see them nesting with a pair of chicks. They are beautiful birds, but I apparently never had seen them shredding a tree like these. As long as they don't start tearing up good trees, I'm happy to have them around. I'm just happy that the identification wasn't a new variety of pine beetles! Thanks to the TBN members that readily identified them.
If they proliferate I'll give you a buzz to come pick them up - at no charge
jbrumberg
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The pileated woodpeckers are very fond of the wild grapes that are overrunning everything around here. They also seem to like the fruits from Osier dogwoods.
They do not appear to selective of what species of dead tree they start ripping into. They completely "holed" one dead tree on my property.
Those chips they leave behind as debris looks like chainsawed wood product.
They do not appear to selective of what species of dead tree they start ripping into. They completely "holed" one dead tree on my property.
Those chips they leave behind as debris looks like chainsawed wood product.
