Concentric Rings of Holes in Bradford Pear: Classic Sapsucker Work

Symmetrical Holes Indicate Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker

A landscaper sees perfectly spaced, concentric circles of holes in a Bradford pear and wonders if it's a woodpecker. The expert confirms: it's a sapsucker. The bird drills neat rows, the tree bleeds sap, insects gather, and the sapsucker returns to eat them.

Management

• Spray trunk with insecticide (malathion, sevin) to break the cycle.
• Or do nothing—damage is rarely fatal.
• Holes seal naturally over time.

This is a common, recognizable pattern on thin-barked ornamental trees.