Anne Lurie wrote:

I was not able to access the site Jeny posted below, but I've seen sapsucker
holes where I've lived in the past. Unlike other woodpeckers, which make
larger holes for both feeding & nesting, sapsucker "feeder" holes are
usually small, very neatly arranged in rows, and on living trees -- rather
than the dead or dying trees favored by woodpeckers.

Here's a site that I found about possible damage by Sapsuckers:
http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/howtos/ht_sap/sap.htm
though I must admit to not having a lot of sympathy for the "tone" of
the page - "how to preserve your valuable timber". It's worth reading,
imo, as it does talk about some of the infections that can happen with
trees. The one thing that I didn't see there was specific information
on why the sapsuckers are more problematic than other woodpeckers. I
do remember reading about it in my bird book - something to do with the
layer of the tree to which they penetrate to feed - and if I remember
tonight, I'll check it again and post the specifics.

While I can understand how owners of rare and/or expensive landscape trees
might be upset at the work of sapsuckers, I don't think the birds do all
that much damage to healthy living trees, although I may be wrong about that
(Will Cook, where are you with a good scientific answer here?)

I did have the impression from what I've read so far that Sapsuckers can
cause problems even for healthy trees.

As for a breather in the yard today, I finished pruning the suckers off my
pear tree. It's been nearly a year since I felt up to doing much yard work,
and *boy* am I out of shape! Not to mention what my trees & shrubs got away
with during my "downtime"!

I spent part of Sunday doing the same. After half my summer being
eclipsed by a blood clot in my leg, my shrubs and trees went wild. I
must admit that it felt really good being outside again working in the
garden!

Next project up is to dig up the mum in the front bed in preparation for
the arrival of my Double Delight rose from J&P. I opted to order from
J&P because everyone I know personally who has ordered roses from them
has had good experiences. Only negative comment that I've heard is that
they tend to cut the canes a little shorter than some of the other mail
order places.

Susan
s h simko at duke dot edu