Spruce tree

Question: 100 year old plus spruce tree has tiny holes in it one side on tree below branches blue color sap? Perhaps 5’ from ground.  This is a tree on a property line so neighbors have cut their branches on their side about five years ago. The tree appears healthy otherwise, lots of pine cones.  I have attached two pictures.  Spruce 2 are holes above the first picture.  Simply would like to know if this is a beatle of some sort or decease, and what steps I can take to try to correct damage.  Thank you

responder: Betsy, UVM Extension Master Gardener Volunteerwww.uvm.edu/extension/mastergardenerWe do not intend to endorse any products we mention or criticize products we do not mention.When we include a link to a resource that recommends a chemical, it is for informational purposesonly; the chemicals may not be registered for use in Vermont. Replied April 05, 2023, 10:42 AM EDT
response: Hi Laurie, Thanks so much for contacting us and thanks for the photos. This is a classic pattern of drilling by a yellow-bellied sapsucker, a type of woodpecker that drills holes in fairly evenly spaced horizontal and vertical lines. They are beautiful birds, but they do love to peck holes in trees to get the sap and will also eat the insects trapped in the sap. Blue spruce are one of their favored trees here. While other woodpeckers certainly drill holes in trees, they do not create this pattern.  To protect the trees from woodpeckers, you can wrap barriers of 1/4 inch hardware cloth, plastic mesh, or burlap around injured areas to discourage further damage. The holes will seal up in an otherwise healthy tree. Rarely will they girdle a tree and kill it. Here is a link for more information about management of woodpecker tree damage. https://www.uaex.uada.edu/publications/pdf/FSA-7561.pdf If you don't live in an area where bears are a problem and you feed birds, you could hang some of the no-melt suet which may attract them more than the trees, or you could try some visual scare tactics. Hanging reflective tape, old CDs, or owls decoys from the tree may scare them off. For identification of this bird, I would recommend looking at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Yellow-bellied_Sapsucker/id# Good luck. From my birder perspective, I hope you get a few photos. These birds really are gorgeous.  Please let us know if you need any further information.

responder: The Question Asker Replied April 05, 2023, 12:14 PM EDT
response: Thank you Betsy.  We took down the feeders the first of March as we were seeing starlings.  Unfortunately I didn’t see the yellow bellied sapsucker, but have lots of the red bellied, Pilated  and our downy and hairy woodpeckers.  We leave old dead trees in the back yard, but I guess the yellow sapsucker doesn’t like them!      I appreciate your quick response and will burlap that area of the spruce tree and put up the feeders for them. Thank you!  On 04/05/2023 10:42 AM Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:

responder: Betsy, UVM Extension Master Gardener Volunteerwww.uvm.edu/extension/mastergardenerWe do not intend to endorse any products we mention or criticize products we do not mention.When we include a link to a resource that recommends a chemical, it is for informational purposesonly; the chemicals may not be registered for use in Vermont. Replied April 05, 2023, 12:23 PM EDT
response: Thanks Laurie. Sounds like you live in a lovely area! Best of luck with your spruces.