The short version
- Rows of small, closely spaced holes are yellow-bellied sapsucker feeding, per Mississippi State and Maryland Extension.
- Virginia Cooperative Extension says sapsucker damage to landscape plants is largely aesthetic and rarely kills them. Maryland Extension notes that limb and trunk girdling occasionally kills a tree.
- Random holes mean woodpeckers hunting insects, which the Virginia Tech Tree Steward Manual says they tend to find in dead wood.
- Woodpeckers are protected by federal and Virginia law. Deterrents that do not harm the birds or their active nests are allowed, but trapping or killing one, or destroying a nest or eggs, is illegal in Virginia, and lethal control needs federal and state permits.
Roanoke Tree Removal is a local referral service: we pass your request to an independent, local tree crew. We are not a contractor or a government office, and this page is general information, not legal advice.
Read the pattern first
| What you see | What it usually means | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Neat rows of small holes, close together | Yellow-bellied sapsucker drilling sap wells in a living tree. Maryland Extension puts the holes at 1/4 to 3/8 inch. | MSU Extension, Checked Oct 17, 2026 UMD Extension, Checked Oct 17, 2026 |
| Random, scattered holes | A woodpecker feeding on insects in the wood. These birds tend to prefer dead wood. | VT Tree Steward, Checked Oct 17, 2026 UK Extension, Checked Oct 17, 2026 |
| Large rectangular holes | Pileated woodpecker digging for carpenter ants, often in dead trees and fallen logs. | Cornell Lab, Checked Oct 17, 2026 |
| Fewer, smaller holes with sawdust | Wood-boring insects themselves. The boring dust, which looks like sawdust, is called frass. | MSU Extension, Checked Oct 17, 2026 VCE, Checked Oct 17, 2026 |
| Bark stripped off an ash | Can be woodpeckers feeding on emerald ash borer larvae; Virginia DOF lists woodpecker stripping as an EAB symptom. | Virginia DOF, Checked Oct 17, 2026 |
Sapsucker rows on living trees
Mississippi State Extension explains that sapsuckers drill sap wells to drink the sap that drains out, and they eat insects caught in it. Unlike other woodpeckers, sapsuckers do not peck into a tree looking for insects. They usually add new holes in line with the old ones, which is why the damage looks so neat.
The University of Kentucky says one tree can have well over 100 holes, and sapsuckers often return to it year after year. Mississippi State says they prefer thin-barked trees such as maple and birch, and that soft-barked Bradford pears are common hosts.
In Virginia, the timing is seasonal. Virginia Cooperative Extension says many sapsuckers are here only part of the year: migrants from farther north spend the winter, then head north in early spring. Some stay year-round at higher elevations in the western mountains.
Will woodpecker holes kill a tree?
Usually not, if it is a sapsucker on a healthy tree. Virginia Cooperative Extension says damage from sapsucker drilling is largely aesthetic and rarely leads to the death of landscape plants.
Heavy feeding is different. Mississippi State says excessive holes can let in insects and decay fungi, and stress from intense feeding can girdle the cambium and kill the tree. The Virginia Tech Tree Steward Manual cites the U.S. Forest Service: a small tree can be killed in a single season, while trees more than 8 inches across take two or more years of feeding.
When the holes point to a bigger problem
Many other woodpeckers are after insects. The Tree Steward Manual says they feed on insects living in decaying cavities and other parts of a tree with insect activity, looking for wood-boring beetles and carpenter ants, and tend to prefer dead wood. Virginia Cooperative Extension adds that for most woodpeckers, dead or dying trees are an essential part of their habitat, giving them places to dig nest cavities and insects to eat.
The Cornell Lab says pileated woodpeckers dig rectangular holes so broad and deep that they can cause small trees to break in half. Large holes, sawdust at the base, or mushrooms nearby are all reasons to have the tree evaluated. Virginia Cooperative Extension's tree evaluation form records small holes in the trunk, whether single or in a line, along with cavities and frass at the base. See mushrooms or fungus on a tree trunk and how to tell if a tree is dying.
Ash trees: woodpeckers and emerald ash borer
On an ash, woodpecker activity can be an early warning. A 2021 Virginia Department of Forestry article lists woodpecker stripping among the symptoms of emerald ash borer, along with crown dieback, sprouts from the trunk, and D-shaped exit holes. A 2022 Forestry article adds that increased woodpecker activity in winter, when ash trees can be full of larvae, is another sign.
The 2021 Forestry article says the borer had been confirmed in most Virginia counties, and that as an infested tree dies over two to three years it becomes drier and more brittle. It adds that most tree companies will not let their crews climb a dead ash to begin felling it. See ash and oak tree disease in Virginia and ash tree removal cost.
Woodpeckers are protected in Virginia
The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources says woodpeckers are a state-protected nongame species and are covered by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Under Virginia law it is illegal to molest or destroy a woodpecker nest or eggs, trap a woodpecker, or kill one, and it is illegal to poison any animal on your property. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service notes that the federal act protects nests and eggs too, even for birds that do not migrate. If a nest is already active, it says control measures need to wait until the young have left the nest for good, usually around midsummer, though timing varies by species.
Virginia Cooperative Extension says killing a woodpecker that is causing damage would take permits from both the Fish and Wildlife Service and the Department of Wildlife Resources, and that these are generally not issued unless every other option has been tried and failed.
Protecting a tree you want to keep
For a valued ornamental tree, Virginia Cooperative Extension suggests loosely wrapping the drilled section of the trunk with fine-mesh hardware cloth, and warns that the birds may try other parts of the same tree first. Maryland Extension lists 1/4 inch hardware cloth, plastic mesh, or burlap. Mississippi State says not to leave burlap on indefinitely, and that wrapping one tree may shift the bird to its neighbors. In woods and orchards, Maryland suggests letting sapsuckers keep one or more favorite trees rather than spreading the damage.
Scare devices that move do better than ones that sit still. Virginia Cooperative Extension says birds get used to stationary owls and snakes in as little as one to two days, while moving reflective tape or a hanging hawk silhouette sometimes works better. Virginia Cooperative Extension also notes that the only repellent registered for woodpeckers did not stop damage in a published test.
Does a tree with woodpecker holes need to come down?
Not for sapsucker rows on a healthy tree. Removal is worth discussing when the holes are a sign of something else: a dead or dying tree, decay, carpenter ants, or an infested ash near a house, driveway, or play area. If a woodpecker is nesting in the tree, ask the crew about timing, since Virginia law bars destroying a woodpecker nest or eggs.
| Item (national) | Published figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tree inspection or risk assessment | $100 – $250 | HomeGuide, Checked Oct 17, 2026 |
| Single-tree consultation and report | $150 – $450 | HomeGuide, Checked Oct 17, 2026 |
| Tree injection for insects or disease | $75 – $250 per tree | HomeGuide, Checked Oct 17, 2026 |
| Tree removal | $300 – $2,000 per tree | HomeGuide, Checked Oct 17, 2026 |
HomeGuide figures are national, not Roanoke quotes. For removal pricing, see dead tree removal cost and hazard tree removal.
Woodpecker holes in a tree near your house?
Call (540) 904-1819 or use the form. Tell us the pattern of the holes, the kind of tree if you know it, and what it could fall on. We will pass your request to an independent local tree crew, or you can ask for an arborist risk assessment.
Common questions
Will woodpecker holes kill a tree?
Usually not when it is a sapsucker on a healthy tree; Virginia Cooperative Extension says that damage rarely kills landscape plants. Heavy feeding can girdle a trunk or limb, and the Virginia Tech Tree Steward Manual says a small tree can die in one season.
What do rows of holes in a tree mean?
Neat rows of small, closely spaced holes are sap wells drilled by the yellow-bellied sapsucker, according to Mississippi State and Maryland Extension.
Are woodpeckers a sign of a dying tree?
Sometimes. The Virginia Tech Tree Steward Manual says insect-eating woodpeckers tend to prefer dead wood, so random holes or large pits can point to insects or decay. Sapsucker rows are usually on living trees.
Is it legal to get rid of woodpeckers in Virginia?
You can use deterrents that do not harm the birds or their active nests. The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources says it is illegal to trap or kill a woodpecker or destroy its nest or eggs, and lethal control needs federal and state permits. If a nest is active, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says to wait until the young have left.
How do I stop woodpeckers from damaging a tree?
Virginia Cooperative Extension suggests loosely wrapping the damaged section with fine-mesh hardware cloth. Maryland Extension also lists plastic mesh or burlap. Virginia Cooperative Extension says deterrents that move, such as reflective tape, tend to work better than a stationary decoy.
Do sapsuckers come back to the same tree?
Often. The University of Kentucky says sapsuckers may return to the same plant year after year and drill new holes near the old ones. In Virginia, Virginia Cooperative Extension says many are winter visitors that head north in early spring.
Sources
- Virginia Cooperative Extension, Managing Human-Wildlife Interactions: Woodpeckers (CNRE-147P, 2022, PDF) (Checked Oct 17, 2026)
- Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, Problems with Woodpeckers (Checked Oct 17, 2026)
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Woodpeckers and your home (Checked Oct 17, 2026)
- Virginia Tech, Tree Steward Manual, Chapter 10: Problems of Trees (Checked Oct 17, 2026)
- Virginia Cooperative Extension, How to Evaluate a Tree (SPES-313P, PDF) (Checked Oct 17, 2026)
- Mississippi State University Extension, Recognizing Sapsucker Damage in Yard Trees (Pub. 3302) (Checked Oct 17, 2026)
- University of Kentucky Extension, Identifying and Mitigating Plant Damage Caused by the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (FOR-134, Aug 2019, PDF) (Checked Oct 17, 2026)
- University of Maryland Extension, Woodpecker and Sapsucker Damage on Trees (updated Dec 13, 2023) (Checked Oct 17, 2026)
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds: Pileated Woodpecker (Checked Oct 17, 2026)
- Virginia Department of Forestry, EAB-Killed Ash: Use It or Lose It! (Mar 9, 2021) (Checked Oct 17, 2026)
- Virginia Department of Forestry, Deadly Jewels of Virginia Forests (June 9, 2022) (Checked Oct 17, 2026)
- HomeGuide, arborist cost (national, Feb 4, 2026) (Checked Oct 17, 2026)