I can't see defined holes.The Yellow Bellied Sap Sucker.
No, definitely not shot with a shotgun. This is a large red oak, about 42" in dbh. It is focal point and located in a high visible area.Scrape some of the bark and post pictures of that too.
Any chance that has been shot with a shotgun?
Very nice, this symptom haunted me many years ago. I'm not one to let an arborcultural mystery just pass by. For months I researched those same black spots on an oak I had found. No information anywhere to help with an solid ID. I came to my own conclusion that what I was looking at was small pustules of dried slime flux that had oozed from a drought stressed tree. Please if someone knows for certain, chime in. I'm all ears!
That is not sap sucker damagePustules of dried Slime Flux?! Oh no, not that!!! Do you know what this means???! It means that the Yellow Bellied Sap Sucker likes Slime Flux(whatever that is).
There is no galleries in the wood either.When I first saw the holes, I thought Ambrosia beetle. You said there was no galleries in the cambium, how about in the sapwood?
That is not sap sucker damage
No hijacking at all. This is good info here. It correlates very well to the consultant's diagnosis. ThanksA few thoughts to ponder while we wait for the much anticipated lab report.
- Zero evidence of insect activity.
- Spots manifest only on compression side of limbs.
- Dept of staining limited to cuticle, doesn't penetrate to epidermis.
- Symptoms appear abiotic (uniform pattern).
My hypotheses is internal anaerobic fermentation due to chronic stress. Internal pressure released through the lenticals forming the sooty mold flux pustules.
On a side note, oak in question was monitored for over a year the oddity didn't reappear. Was hoping to find active oozing.
Not intending to hijack the OP's thread.
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