Question
I found two small holes in one limb on my birch.  I had to move back some bark, when I did the holes appeared to have a small larvae of some kind.  Holes are only about 3/32 in diameter. Anyway, I cleaned out the larvae, or ooze or what ever it was and am trying to stop the sap from leaking profusely. Nothing seems to work, I even put tourniquets on and it is still weeping though.  The limb had been leaking for several days before I discovered it, the ground has big black wet spots where it was drained on. I understand birches weep, but I am more concerned about the varmint that might have caused this. Any suggestions? I live in Oxford, GA.

Answer
Sounds like the birch borer. One of the ways to control the borer is to use something to dig it out and kill it. Sounds like that is what you did. Birch trees do bleed sap form wounds especially in the spring when the sap flow is greatest and the sap pressure is highest. This is normal.  I would not be concerned it will lessen as the warmer months come. Nothing really needs to be done.  

It may attract more borers to the wound so I would spray the wound area with an insecticide called Merit. This will protect the tree from further attack this year. Also if there is still a larvae in the trunk it will kill it. Check with your local nursery for merit.

Borers usually infest trees that are weakened so I would recommend that you fertilize the tree with 10-10-10 fertilizer at the rat of 1 lb of fertilizer per 1 inch of trunk diameter scattered around the tree and watered in good. This will improve the health of the tree.