Hi, I hope someone can help me. A strange thing is happening to a tree in my backyard. About a week ago, I noticed a healthy branch on the ground. I discarded it. The day before yesterday, I noticed another healthy looking branch on the ground. This time, I studied it. To my amazement, it looked as if it had been sawed off. Actually, the sawing did not go all the way through, but it was perfectly sawed around the circumference of the branch, leaving a middle section too weak to hold the branch up. I looked at other branches and found another larger branch in the process of going through the same thing. It looked as if someone took a wire and wrapped it around the branch and moved it back and fourth until the bark was sawed through. Upon further inspection, I found some stumps of branches that had fallen off because of the same thing, even in other trees. Does anyone know what this is, and what can be done about it?

-Rick in Texas

Reply to post by Rick Ledesma, on November 14, 2000 at 14:29:45:

Hi Rick,

What trees do you mean?
How thick are the branches?
What is exact date of the accident?
What trees are around there?
How many trees do you have with the problem?
How close are they to each other?
Any other signs?
Please, describe as carefully as you can!
It could be a very serious problem!

Reply to post by Rick Ledesma, on November 14, 2000 at 14:29:45:

hi rick, you may want to check for squirels if you have them living in your yard area. here in michigan i have witnessed squirels gnawing on limbs in the attempt of regulating tooth growth. mainly hardwoods are targeted here.

Reply to post by Rick Ledesma, on November 14, 2000 at 14:29:45:

If the branch is sawn through, then what are your neighbors up to when your at work? I'm running with common logic here!

Paul H.