Trees, Shrubs and Conifers: What's stripping bark off my tree branches?, 0 by Muddy1

Muddy1 wrote:
A few days ago, I noticed about 15 strips of bark like this on the ground underneath a mature maple tree. I couldn't see the branch(es) from which they came.

My guess is that a squirrel gnawed these off, but I've had plenty of squirrels in my yard for years and have never seen strips of bark like these on the ground.

Does anyone know what the likely culprit is, and why it's doing it? If it's going after insects, would treating the tree with a systemic product help at all?