My sister has a big oak tree in her front yard. A decent size limb just fell off of it because ants (appears this way from the ground. Haven't been up there yet. It looks like a large rotten hole directly behind where the limb fell and a tear down the bark that stripped off with the limb. I have this picture with a red line showing where I had planned on cutting off the rotten ant hole and a circle showing where the entrance to the colony might be. I just wanted to try and get some feedback before I got to cutting, mainly about how to kill the ants and also if anyone thinks the tree could heal back from that rot and large bark rip. Also, if I were to top the limb off under the damage could that heal over if I cut it low enough or no way? You may have to download the pic and zoom in to see what I'm talking about. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
Questions about killing ants and trees ability to recover from ant damage
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DR. P. Proteus
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The upper wound looks like its from a branch got tore out of a weak attachment point, I think the ants were living in the crack between the branch and the rest of the tree where rotten wet bark provided a place to harbor the ants. Ants typically only eat rotten wood. That means the ants didn't hurt the tree, they only ate the part that was decayed from some other reason of which there are many.
The lower wound looks like woodpecker damage as there might have been a grub in there. Its hard to tell.
But I really wouldn't cut anything if I where you. I would get someone to take a look at it if in fact I was you.
The lower wound looks like woodpecker damage as there might have been a grub in there. Its hard to tell.
But I really wouldn't cut anything if I where you. I would get someone to take a look at it if in fact I was you.
Ok thanks. I guess I'll be reading up on oaks trying to figure out how to find out if its diseased. I know there is a city arborist here but hard to get an appointment with. Normally, if the tree was perfectly healthy and I cut that whole top off low enough would it grow a round lump over the cut like limbs do on trunks?
BuckmasterStumpGrinding
ArboristSite Operative
Hypoxylon canker has been wiping out oaks here in Oklahoma. I would wait until after a freeze before lopping off too much.
Why is that?
ropensaddle
Feel Lucky
No it would sucker profusely stress the tree and hollow at the sucker connection creating weakly attached limbs down the road. The round lump you mention is a branch collar and is normal. I would recommend getting a certified arborist to assess the integrity and follow his lead if your trees health is of any interest to you!
ropensaddle
Feel Lucky
Trimming in summer attracts bugs "not to be confused with harmless ants" which can carry oak wilt and many other diseases to your trees. Notice I said trees as once an infestation occurs many times more than just the summer trimmed tree is infected.
ropensaddle
Feel Lucky
Hypoxylon canker killed many here, mainly White oaks after server drought. The way I understand Hypoxoylon is oak trees all have it but only under server conditions such as sustained droughts the trees defense breaks down and can no longer fight it off and declines and it sure is fast when it happens.
That is exactly right.
BuckmasterStumpGrinding
ArboristSite Operative
I am going to start a new thread on hypoxylon canker.
Erik Hakso
ArboristSite Lurker
Ants will not do damage to a healthy tree. They nest in work with dead wood.
Erik
Pro-Cut Tree Service
Erik
Pro-Cut Tree Service
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