What would cause a tree to look like this?

Question

The sap is leaking out of a lot of places near the bottom of the trunk. It has been doing this for years. Here is a picture that I took this afternoon:

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c215/myleshowling/IMG_8246.jpg

What could be causing this?

Answer 1

Sometimes it isn't neccesarily an insect that causes tree sap to leak out. The sap production might just be extremely high in that tree and due to pressure, has no where else to go BUT out.

The sap level in most trees increase in the spring.....coming up from the root level and travelling back up into the tree itself.

In the winter the levels drop back down to the roots to be able to survive the cold weather.

That's why they tap Maple trees in the spring and fall...the sap levels are moving the most during those two particular times of the year.

Answer 2

I was gonna guess woodpeckers, but it's just a guess.  And they usually hang out higher up, don't they?  Probably borers like Lidybeff said.

Answer 3

Borers.