Sapsuckers behave as their name implies – they eat sap. Sapsuckers bore small parallel rows of hole in the trunk or limbs of trees to make the sap flow. Sapsuckers eat the sap and insects caught in the sap. They rarely cause permanent damage to a tree. However, if the trunk is girdled with holes it could kill the tree and provide and entrance for disease or insects.
If you have a lot of trees it may be best to sacrifice a few for sapsuckers. If discouraged from one tree they may move on to another tree nearby and start to bore holes. If protection is necessary, covering the entire tree with netting is an option. The damaged area can also be wrapped with burlap, plastic mesh or hardware cloth.
