Question
QUESTION: I live in Eastern Utah.  I have 3 aspens that are growing closely together and one of them has some kind of brown liquid oozing out of it in different spots.  It looks as though there is a hole where the oozing begins.  Please tell me what this is and if it is going to kill my trees.
Thank you!

ANSWER: Something has caused an injury on the tree.  Look to see if it may be woodpeckers.  They will make small round holes in a line around the trunk.  What you are seeing is the sap oozing out of the trunk.  Most likely this is not serious and the tree will heal itself.  There are a couple of bacterial diseases that cause ooze but you will know in a month or so if the oozing does not stop by itself.  There is nothing that can be done about the bacterial diseases and the tree may live for years with it.  Good Luck.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Is there a way to ward off woodpeckers?  

Thanks again,
Cathy in Utah

Answer
Probably not.  Some of them are nocturnal and you never see or hear them.  They also tend to come back to the same tree year after year.  A metal wrap around the trunk would stop them, but that would look hideous.  I do not think they will cause serious damage unless they begin to put hundreds of holes in the trunk.  Many are also protected species.  Sorry I cant offer a better solution.