The first step is to eradicate any insects living in your siding or the woodpeckers will just be back. If the birds are looking for insects, the holes will be small and irregular. You may have to call an exterminator to get rid of the underlying insect problem. Woodpeckers are particularly fond of the larvae of carpenter bees, leafcutter bees, and grass bagworms. Plug and cover holes with wood putty.
If it’s a bird storing acorns, that’s another issue. Some owners have found reflective streamers or “bird banishers” placed nearby keep the woodpeckers away. Others with extensive damage have resorted to laying aluminum metal down the sides of their boards. For what it’s worth, research has shown lighter colored aluminum and vinyl sidings are less likely to be damaged by woodpeckers
The first step is to eradicate any insects living in your siding or the woodpeckers will just be back. If the birds are looking for insects, the holes will be small and irregular. You may have to call an exterminator to get rid of the underlying insect problem. Woodpeckers are particularly fond of the larvae of carpenter bees, leafcutter bees, and grass bagworms. Plug and cover holes with wood putty.
If it’s a bird storing acorns, that’s another issue. Some owners have found reflective streamers or “bird banishers” placed nearby keep the woodpeckers away. Others with extensive damage have resorted to laying aluminum metal down the sides of their boards. For what it’s worth, research has shown lighter colored aluminum and vinyl sidings are less likely to be damaged by woodpeckers