Question: I have just found holes on the trunk of our live oak tree. The tree is about 8 ft tall and is only about 5 years old. We lost a very large weeping willow last year to borer beetles and we are concerned that this live oak has them also. The holes do look different to the tree we lost. All the holes are in a line. The tree still looks healthy but I do not want to wait until it starts to die to treat it.

Answer: Most likely the holes were made by a bird called Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. It makes these holes to promote a source of sap and dines on this sap and on the insects attracted to the sap. Excessive hole drilling can infrequently cause limbs to die. However, most often no harm is done.