Question
noticed what appeared to be small growths on trunk of healthy looking tree-looked like buds of new foliage, but too many, in odd places etc.  also small black holes that look like woodpecker marks.  Lawnguy said thinks it is some type of beetle and upon looking close I did find one frond that had small black bugs of some type--any idea what this is and how to treat it?  thanks

Answer
The growths sound like a scale insect. take your finger nail and push the "bud" and if there is liquid in it this is the insect under a shell like growth. These can be controlled with a systemic  insecticide that is applied to the soil and the tree takes it up into the system and when the scale insects suck the plant juices it kills the insect. One of these is called Bayer Advanced . your local nursery should carry this insecticide.
The hole may be woodpeckers--sap suckers- they make these hole which fill up with sap attracting insects and then the bird return and eats the insect. They also maybe eating some of the scales on the trunk.
The "small black bugs" could be anything--there are black flea beetles that eat the leaves but you said nothing of leaves being eaten. I would say the bugs you are seeing are not causing any problem.