Question
We live in MN and have an eight year old curly willow that was attacked for the first time this Spring by a small woodpecker, drilling small holes in a grid pattern around the tree. Some advice we read on the web said to wrap the affected areas in burlap, which we continued to do as the woodpecker found new areas along the trunk to attack. Now it appears he's finished (for the year?) and we're wondering if we should remove the burlap wrapping. We peeled back a small section and some small black/brown beetle-type bugs fell out. We love the tree and it's the centerpiece of our front lawn and would like to know how best to help it survive.

Answer
The burlap will not keep the woodpecker from pecking. It will heat up the bark in the summer months and is not a good idea. The beetle under the burlap has found a safe place to live--another reason not to put the burlap on.

These woodpeckers are called sap suckers--they make the holes and insects are attracted to the sap and the bird returns to eat the insects. You can spray the holes and bark area with an insecticide. This kills any insect that comes and with no insect the bird will stop. Any common insecticide will do--Raid for ants etc.