Woodpecker nuisance - Ask Extension
I need some advice on woodpeckers drilling large holes in my wood siding of my house. I believe the humming sound of the cable is attracting them to m...
Knowledgebase
Woodpecker nuisance #923532
Asked January 12, 2026, 1:41 PM EST
I need some advice on woodpeckers drilling large holes in my wood siding of my house. I believe the humming sound of the cable is attracting them to my home. Maybe they think there are bugs?
How do I seal up these holes and prevent this from occurring in the future.
I did put up some reflective dangling silver things I bought on Amazon to try and deter them.
Thank you for your advice!!
Summit County Ohio
Expert Response
Hi Anne and thanks for letting me help you with your woodpecker problem.
I think that you may have a two fold problem. You said that you think that the woodpeckers are attracted to your siding due to your cable ‘humming’. I have never experienced my cable humming, but I have heard the humming of carpenter bees inside of wood.
Carpenter bees could be what is causing the woodpeckers to appear. Also long used nests, with many ‘hallways’ can cause collapse of the wood. I would call a person that may be able to rid your house of the nest. It would not be a bee keeper because they take care of honeybees. You also may not want an exterminator, because carpenter bees are pollinators.
Continue to use you noisy and shiny objects, rotating them.
You may have to replace the wood if the damage is great. Female Carpenter Bees like to search out nice holes in the spring and use them. Therefore you must deter that. Fall or early spring (or even a warm winter day) could be used to plug the holes. You do not want to wait into late march or April
Here are 2 fact sheets to help you
https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/hyg-2074
https://ask.extension.org/kb/faq.php?id=916300
I think that you may have a two fold problem. You said that you think that the woodpeckers are attracted to your siding due to your cable ‘humming’. I have never experienced my cable humming, but I have heard the humming of carpenter bees inside of wood.
Carpenter bees could be what is causing the woodpeckers to appear. Also long used nests, with many ‘hallways’ can cause collapse of the wood. I would call a person that may be able to rid your house of the nest. It would not be a bee keeper because they take care of honeybees. You also may not want an exterminator, because carpenter bees are pollinators.
Continue to use you noisy and shiny objects, rotating them.
You may have to replace the wood if the damage is great. Female Carpenter Bees like to search out nice holes in the spring and use them. Therefore you must deter that. Fall or early spring (or even a warm winter day) could be used to plug the holes. You do not want to wait into late march or April
Here are 2 fact sheets to help you
https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/hyg-2074
https://ask.extension.org/kb/faq.php?id=916300
