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Woodpeckers are destroying our house. Have cedar siding and they are putting holes all over the place. We are ordering some "Woodpecker Attack Spiders" anyone have any other suggestions?
I remember reading something about this (here maybe? have you tried a search?) - save and or start finding all those old AOL c/d's, etc. and try stringing them around - maybe that will frighten them?
We have vinyl siding and I honestly can't remember the suggestions.
Woodpeckers don't peck on wood unless they detect insects in it. Your siding is probably rotting and attracting bugs, and that's what they're after. Replace the siding and the woodpeckers will go away.
Actually we looked into that and that is not true. Woodpeckers like to peck at siding because of the loud sound that it makes. It is called "drumming" and it tells other woodpeckers that this is their turf. They do sometimes peck for bugs, but this is not our case. We cannot find any sign of insect infestation. If it were so, we would have a huge bill on our hands (over $100,000 to replace all the siding) since there are pecking at all areas of the house and carriage house, not just in specific locations. Some of the siiding that they are pecking at is brand new. Not even a year old.
Actually we looked into that and that is not true. Woodpeckers like to peck at siding because of the loud sound that it makes. It is called "drumming" and it tells other woodpeckers that this is their turf.
If this were springtime, I'd buy that. But this isn't mating season, and drumming is a mating activity. Woodpeckers peck for three reasons only:
Attract a mate/establish territory (springtime activity)
Find food
Excavate a nest (also springtime activity)
Quote:
They do sometimes peck for bugs, but this is not our case. We cannot find any sign of insect infestation. If it were so, we would have a huge bill on our hands (over $100,000 to replace all the siding) since there are pecking at all areas of the house and carriage house, not just in specific locations. Some of the siiding that they are pecking at is brand new. Not even a year old.
There could be insects underneath the siding, instead of in the wood itself. I'd have a professional come out and check again. Just sayin'...
One source (Mass Audubon) says that it is never insects and that fall drumming is common. However another source says insects are a likely cause and all you can do is to try to poison the insects. That source also says that drumming for mating/nesting purposes is common in the fall. I suppose that it cannot hurt to spray the siding with malathion. We will try foil streamers and attack spiders. Something has to work. they have already done hundred if not thousands of dollars of damage (depends on whether the siding can be patched or must be replaced. In one place, the darned thing not only poked a hole, but went inside and pecked out the foam insulation. That cannot be good for him. That stuff is all chemicals.
I have no idea what works, they are always pecking on our house too. I bang on the window when they are pecking that only helps for awhile. They have pecked big holes out of our siding and trim. I am glad we are moving to a new house with vinyl siding. I think the only help for this house is to reside it in vinyl or something hard so they can't peck it.
To get the woodpeckers to go away, just smear "Preperation H" where they are pecking, and they will go away!! It works, I used to have a problem with them!
I had the same problem with woodpeckers and my cedar siding. They would peck out the knot holes and other birds would then build nests inside our siding. What a mess. I replaced the cedar with hardie board cement siding. The woodpeckers learned real quick to stay away from the new siding.
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