Woodpeckers

[TOMWOLVES]

Has any Maple producers using tubing had problems with Woodpeckers putting holes in the mainline of their tubes? My employer had this happen to his lines (only the main lines), 583 holes to be exact. If anyone has had this problem what action have you taken to stop this from happening again? Please don't say "shoot the birds" as one can't sit in the woods 24/7. The culprit is the "Yellowbellied Sap sucker" I believe. Thank you for your time and input in this matter.

[DrTimPerkins]

The species is protected under the "Migratory Bird Act", so no shooting of them is allowed.

[TOMWOLVES]

Just hoping to find a remedy to prevent the pecking of the mainlines.

[Alex010]

What I would like to know is how to fix the 583 holes in the mainlines. Does anybody have any ideas? I am TOMWOLVES employer, and very fortunate that he works for me. Thank you TOMWOLVES, and thanks for your post!

[Tweegs]

Are you sure woodpeckers are responsible?
I mean, have you actually caught the little beasties in the act?
Not saying that it can’t happen, but I’d be somewhat surprised.
Raccoons, I think, would leave a similar hole and be more apt to attack and concur tubing systems.

Regardless the source of the damage, it’s the holes that are the problem of the moment.
To fix a small hole here or there, I use electrical tape. Take a fine flat file to knock off any burs on the tubing and give it a wrap of tape. That’ll get you through a season. You can replace the tape next year, just use a little alcohol to clean the old glue off first.

It’s probably best to replace sections of tubing that have large holes or many small ones in a short span.

Raccoons can be dealt with. Best to check with the DNR in your area for a “how to” guide and advice.
The DNR in my area doesn’t like the trap and relocate approach. Because hunting is allowed in my area, they prefer I get a nuisance permit and just dispatch them.

I have no advice for woodpeckers, though I’d really like to hear one.
My house already has adequate air conditioning…thank you very much.

[DrTimPerkins]

Are you sure woodpeckers are responsible?

Woodpeckers will definitely make holes in mainline. The holes are a bit ragged, but fairly round, with no depression around the rim of the hole. Animals that bite on the tubing with canine teeth create conical-type holes where the plastic deforms around the hole (small puncture hole pushed down into the tubing, but bigger depression near the surface of the tubing) to make sort of like an inverse-volcano, and tend to be fairly round.

We have a library of all sorts of different damage to 5/16" and mainline. Some are head-scratchers, but we can generally figure it out. One of the weirder varieties was when a squirrel cut every stubby off the tubing for about a 100 ft radius, took a few nibbles from each, and stashed them in a couple of piles....like acorns). Then there is the melted tubing from lightning strikes (don't lean on mainline wire in the summer if you hear thunder....ask me how I learned that lesson).

[Alex010]

wood pecker holes.jpg These are definitely woodpecker holes, although I have not actually caught a woodpecker in the act. There are several clues that they are made be woodpeckers including the location is generally on the top side of the mainline on either side of the saddles; some of the holes are on the sides and bottoms, but only where there was a foothold, ie. gripper mesh and hose clamp; the holes tend to be round and tapered; most of the holes are about 1/8" dia. The holes in this picture are larger than the typical holes. One theory I have as to the reason the woodpeckers attacked is that there may have been a sudden collapse of the the ash borer population due to logging and death of the ash trees, and therefore there was a loss of a food source.