Question
We have a young red maple that is about twelve feet tall.  After we started
getting really high temperatures the tree began developing black oozing spots
on the trunk.  I haven't noticed any bees getting onto these spots but the ants
seem to really like it.  Is the tree ok?  Do I need to try and keep the ants off?  
Some of the leaves look scorched with some spotting, is this a bad sign too?

Answer
Hi there. The leaf scorch could be stress related.IE: drought,transplant shock etc.
The oozing in trees can be caused by several factors, including insects and diseases. If there are no insect holes in the areas showing the dark ooze, then a possible cause for this symptom could be a Phytophthora bleeding canker. Several species of Phytophthora can cause cankers at the base of the stem and trunks of a number of trees, including maple. These Phytophthoras are endemic to our region, and have been documented to cause trunk cankers in maples for decades. You can also read a recent article on bleeding canker by John Hartman, ornamentals pathologist from the University of Kentucky, at the following website:

http://kentcoopextension.blogspot.com/2008/02/landscape-bleeding-cankers-on-deci...

If you are able to remove a piece of bark from the oozing area, you can send it to your local Ag Dept.to check it for the presence of Phytophthora in their laboratory.  You would need to chisel out a piece about 2 inches square from one of these oozing areas, and ship the piece overnight mail, with a cold pack to keep it from getting too hot during transit. Unfortunately, making a wound like this is the only way to confirm the presence of this pathogen.
If this is Phytophthora bleeding canker, management is tricky.  Trunk sprays with a fungicide such as Agri-Phos have been suggested by some, but I'm not sure how effective these are.
Unfortunately, there are other possible causes for this symptom, including bacterial wet wood and other fungal diseases, and for some trees no cause is identified. Oozing and bleeding symptoms on trees are not easy to diagnose, and not easy to control. Good cultural practices, such as using drip irrigation during dry weather, and avoiding any site disturbances to the root zone, may help to slow the development of branch die back in trees with bleeding symptoms.
Hope this helps,Bill