The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-10-15
Latter Species Do Millions Of
Damage to Tress
THE OTHERS BENEFICIAL
In That They Get Bug, Al
Borers-Sapsucker Kills and
Dishgures Trees
(By l.. a. BROWN

washington, II. -, oct. l2-TNauty
OF the tWenty-three species Of wool
peckers found in the United state.
have been given a certificate of mar
acter as a result Of a series OF lns.,
tgatlOnS just completed iy tn. BIO
logical Survey. The three-toct Wood
pecker and his nineteen cousins n4..
been "operated" on and their So,
achs examined to ascertain tn Snart.,
OF their food supply, and they Ar H.
clared to be Of economic importigr,
to the regions they inhabit for H.,
reason that they feed on injuriutS IA
sectS almost entirely.
The three species on which tina sur.
vey places the ban are known III, $40
suckers (Sphyra picus). Tnrs- htri4
have short, bushy tongues rot adapted
70 the capture of insects, While tp,
other w~oodpeckers have tongues MI
barbed tips which can De extended g.,
spear bOrerS or other insects ia tt.-
wood into which they penetrate hn
their powerful beaks. The chef Ia
sect food of the sa psucker. on III.
other hand. is ants. About Aft--u Der
cent OF the Sa pSuckers' food is cIsl-
BUM and the inner bark OF tr-.4
lney drink a great deal OF sap
The S~apsncker's Work.
The parts OF the tree iniat.I ~
the sapsucRerS.~ says the apurt ST tt.,
Surveys Investigators. ART those rt.st
carry the rich sap which nouTsa.s
the growing wood and bark. T..
bird attack on trees may. therefore,.
have serious results. When d staat
proportion Of the bark and curub.Mru
are removed the vitality of the trr,.
may only be lowered or branches h.rA
and there may be killed. When tlr.
injury is more extensive, As il oft.u
IS, the tree may be completely giri.t.
and, OF course, dies. Holes mad" -
the sa~psuckers go completely through
the bark and often into the wood
'~Sdpsuckers pecking also dlst35Hrss
ornamental trees. giving rise tp pJg*E
streams, QUINN excrescences ana d.
fcrmities Of the trunks.
"HOWever, the killing Of trees rNj-
right Is by no means the greatest dam
age done by S~apSuckerS. In thu Ak
eregate. these birds infict much
greater financial loss by producing d.
fects in the WOOD of the far Larger
number of trees which they work
upon but do not kill. Blemishe5 Re
ducing the value appear in the lumber
and in the various articles into which
1T is manufactured. These defects
consist Of distortion of the grain for
nation Of knots and cavities in th'
wood, staining. resin depoN ttot
On Hickory Wood.
The Investigators estimated thai th.-
annual loss or hickory wood alone
from damage by 50 pSuckerS Is shout
$4,000. 1t has been found that m
sa pSucker units for use such ora,
mental woods as mahogany. bIt.k
walnut, yellow poplar and WHIT
maple. Defects due to 81 pSNra~T
work We're found in the wood "Ts
specles Of trees, in twenty-five 80
Whlch the wOOd was rendered JiSAt.5
except Tor coarse construction "'r@
AnOther announcement made ia IT,
report Of these Investigations was tEHt
me DAINTY humning bird. supposed In
leed entirely upon the nectar Of ftrt@-
ers, obtains "a per cent Of its ftpt
from insects such as spiders, -r4tt1
and wood