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?
Are you sure that's not bear damage?
Can you (or another able individual) climb up and photograph where this damage occurred?
The discoloration of the inside of those strips (brownish areas against the creamy white healthy tissue) says insect - read grubs/larvae of some insect - infestation, which a large mammal might be seeking.
Could also be a smaller mammal like a raccoon, but I'd really be surprised if a squirrel did that.
I don't think it's bear damage, although there have been black bear sightings not too far away recently. I'm pretty sure my bird feeders would have been flattened if a bear had come in my back yard. A raccoon is a distinct possibility, though; I've seen one in my backyard several times.
Only a professional tree-climber could get up high enough to photograph the area, but I'll see if I can spot anything by using binoculars.
