Vertebrate Pests of Southern Hardwood and Softwood Trees, Forest Health: Florida Division of Forestry

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Charles H. Bronson, Commissioner - James R. Karels, Director

Forest Health > Insects and Diseases publication

TABLE IV.
Vertebrate Pests of Southern Hardwood and Softwood Trees

Pest Animal	Tree Age Class	Damage Charateristics
Beaver:	Seedling Sapling	New sprouts clipped Stem severed close to ground Broad band of bark and sapwood removed, less than 30 cm height Conical stump, pronounced channels in wood (approximately 13 mm wide)
Control Options: Place metal bands at base of trees Trap and remove beaver population (check Florida trapping laws) Photo: Longleaf pine partially girdled by beaver.
Cattle:	Seedling Sapling	Foliage and buds browsed Trampling of stems Gouging of bark close to ground Broken branches
Control Options: Fencing Deer repellent Removal of cattle population
Dog:	Seedling Sapling	Outer foliage wilted, discolored or dead, up to 60 cm height Branch dieback Surrounding grass dead
Control Options: Fencing Dog repellent Avoidance training Contact owner PHOTO: Foliage damage of hedge caused by scent-marking of male dogs.
Rabbit:	Seedling Sapling	Stem clipped off less than 45 cm above ground, angled cut Top eaten or lying beside stump Bark removed in patches or stripped off larger stems
Control Options: Prescribe burn to remove cover vegetation
Deer:	Seedling Sapling	Foliage and buds browsed Ends of branches bitten squarely Bark rubbed off one side of stem, up to 1.5 m height
Control Options: Fencing Deer repellent Small block cuttings PHOTO: Bark removed from slash pine sapling by buck deer rubbing velvet from antlers.
Squirrel:	Seeds Sapling Mature	Buds browsed out of shoots Nut shells and partially eaten nuts on ground; reduced nut crop, cone cutting Small to large patches of bark and inner bark removed from trunk and upper branches
Control Options: Trap and remove squirrel population Use an approved rodenticide (check Florida hunting laws) PHOTO: Camphor tree bark removed by grey squirrels.
Mice/ Rats:	Seeds Seedling Sapling	Small holes in seeds Lower stem and roots partially or completely girdled, teeth marks approximately 1.5 mm wide (mice) or 3-4 mm (rats) Soil scratched away from lower stem or root collar
Control Options: Prescribe burn to remove cover vegetation Use an approved rodenticide
Pig:	Seeds Sapling Mature	Ground disturbed, plants uprooted, inner bark removed from root collar, especially longleaf pine Lateral roots dug out and girdled in older trees
Control Options: Fencing Hunting (check Florida hunting laws)
Pocket Gopher:	Seedling Sapling	Whole tree foliage discoloration All roots except collar removed; only a stub may be present Dirt mounds prevalent Teeth marks about 2 mm wide
Control Options: Trapping Poisoned bait
Woodpecker:	Sapling Mature	Bark flakes piled at base of tree, deep gouges in outer bark
Control Options: Avoidance training: noise, moving objects PHOTO: Bark flakes removed from live longleaf pine by pileated woodpecker feeding on ants.
Yellowbellied sapsucker:	Sapling Mature	Lines of deep drill-holes in bark
Control Options: Eliminate insects living under bark with an insecticide PHOTO: Holes made in bark of a sweetgum tree by feeding yellowbellied sapsuckers.
Yellowshafted flicker: .	Sapling Mature	Deep hole with exuding sap or pitch
Control Options: Trapping (check Florida trapping laws) PHOTO: Longleaf pine with large holes in bark and exuding pitch caused by yellowshafted flickers.