Pecan Tree Losing Bark: Natural Shedding or Ant Damage?

Your 40–50-year-old pecan is shedding large bark sections (10 ft long, 1–1.5 ft wide) starting 25 ft up, on both sides. The exposed wood is dark. You first noticed it after a hailstorm.

Likely Normal Bark Exfoliation

Mature pecans naturally shed outer bark as they grow—it changes from smooth to scaly, and scaly plates slough off. Pieces are usually small, but hail can knock off larger sections, accelerating the process. If the wood underneath is solid and the canopy is green and healthy, this is normal.

Check for Ants

Carpenter ants sometimes nest under loose bark, causing larger pieces to fall. Look for ant trails, sawdust, or the ants themselves. If present, treat the nest—but the tree itself isn't necessarily harmed.

When to Worry

If the canopy thins, branches die back, or you see fungal conks (shelf fungi) on the trunk, get an arborist inspection. Otherwise, it's just an old pecan doing what old pecans do.