Don't know if this is from bugs or perhaps a lightening strike. It's going on on three sides not just one place.

I'm going to venture that that was hit by lightning.

quite possible...there have been a few "claps" that sounded pretty close...enough to make me look right after for smoke I just don't know

What type of tree is it? It reminds me of the oozing from canker diseases:

http://www.bing.com/images/sea...

http://www.sfrc.ufl.edu/extens...

http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/p...

Lin....it is an oak of some sort. They are all over. I just call them scrub oak. From your links it does look like canker ooze Guess the dinasaur on dial-up will have to attemp research as to what I should do...unless you can answer that question. CRUD... Where is Samantha when ya need her with the nose twitch I took pics of the leaves and whole tree

Maybe Myrtle Oak (Quercus myrtifolia) or Laurel Oak (Quercus laurifolia) but I'm really not good at identifying plants, especially trees .... and I don't have a clue what to do to save one if it's diseased.

Actually I'm pretty much covered with them so I'm not that worried about saving it....I worry more about whether it is detramental to the rest and other stuff/trees in the yard. Thankfully it should be far enough away from the house that if it comes crashing down no problem...it is tall though

The leaves sure look pretty healthy for a diseased tree. Any signs of distress besides the trunk? Are any of your other trees looking like this?

Look for images and information on Wetwood disease and slime flux.

greene said:Look for images and information on Wetwood disease and slime flux.

http://extension.psu.edu/pests...

dyzzypyxxy said:The leaves sure look pretty healthy for a diseased tree. Any signs of distress besides the trunk? Are any of your other trees looking like this?

I haven't noticed any "oozing" on other trees, but some of the magnolias have "soot" for lack of a better term on them....I can try for a pic of that when it stops raining.

Wow, Lin...that last link you posted really does look like my tree....the pic of the affected oak

Elaine...just looked and the "soot" looks kinda slimy since it's wet which is NOT how it usually looks.