Neat, quarter-inch holes in straight rows and columns on the trunk are made by yellow-bellied sapsuckers (a woodpecker). They drill sap wells, then return to eat insects attracted to the sap.
Healthy, mature Bradford pears (13–15 years) tolerate this feeding. The holes rarely girdle the trunk or introduce fatal pathogens.
Spray the trunk with a contact insecticide (e.g., carbaryl/Sevin) to eliminate the insect prey. Without food, the birds move on. Visual deterrents (reflective tape, predator decoys) may help. Do not wrap the trunk—trapped moisture promotes decay.
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