Name:	RHH -	Reply
Subject:	Girdling of Maple Trees
Date:	7/5/2016 9:02:06 PM

Does anyone know what is eating the bark off my maple trees between the house and the lake. Some are completely girdled. The house is in the Real Island area. Hasn't happened in prior years.

Name:	Samdog -	Reply
Subject:	Girdling of Maple Trees
Date:	7/5/2016 9:56:20 PM

Beavers. Happens all the time.

Name:	RHH -	Reply
Subject:	Girdling of Maple Trees
Date:	7/5/2016 10:42:42 PM

I have never seen a beaver at the lake. Any suggestions for stopping the carnage or saving the already damaged trunks?

Name:	Aardvark -	Reply
Subject:	Girdling of Maple Trees
Date:	7/5/2016 11:05:56 PM

I have seen several beavers, but usually in the backs of creeks, although a family used to live under the old ski ramp up towards Real Island.  We would tie up to the ramp and catch crappie underneath it while the beavers just watched us from the low side.

Name:	Buteye -	Reply
Subject:	Girdling of Maple Trees
Date:	7/6/2016 12:16:55 AM

About two years ago a beaver chewed down a 3 inch pine tree in my front yard.

Name:	Lifer -	Reply
Subject:	Girdling of Maple Trees
Date:	7/6/2016 6:45:25 AM

There are beavers that come into to lake. My neighbors have lost several trees to beavers. All they ever take from my yard is turnip greens in the winter. Unfortunately if the bark is gone all the way around the tree it is already dead, it just doesn't know it yet. You can wrap the base with wire to try and stop them. Heavy chicken wire will do. Good luck. They are persistent.

Name:	Talullahhound -	Reply
Subject:	Girdling of Maple Trees
Date:	7/6/2016 11:01:07 AM

You should be glad they are just eating the bark.  We had a beaver completely chew and take away our Japanese Maple. Left just a little stump.  It wasn't a tiny tree either.   It was at least 3 ft tall.

Name:	Lifer -	Reply
Subject:	Girdling of Maple Trees
Date:	7/6/2016 12:24:53 PM

After more thought and re-reading your post I don't think its beavers. You wrote "trees" and eating only the bark off multiple trees doesn't seem like typical beaver behavior to me. Can you peel bark off by hand where it was cut? Some beetles manifest by the bark peeling off. I learned that one the hard way.

Name:	RHH -	Reply
Subject:	Girdling of Maple Trees
Date:	7/6/2016 4:02:21 PM

All of the bark removal is in a wide circular band toward the bottom of the trunk, up to a height of about 3 feet.

Name:	Samdog -	Reply
Subject:	Girdling of Maple Trees
Date:	7/7/2016 5:27:36 PM

Beaver and it's probably a Sweetgum tree. Very common on the west side of the lake.