The Pecky Effect: Produced by Nature

The cause of pecky has often been widely misunderstood. Absolutely no form of animal action-=insects or worms-is responsible at any stage of development, and there is no possibility of the pecking continuing after the tree is harvested. Once the tree is cut down, the causative agent itself is destroyed and completely disappears--leaving behind only the characteristic pocketing it formerly created.

Pecking in fact is simply the result of a natural fungus (Polyporus amarus) entering older living trees through branch loss or fires that destroy the bark. The live tissues thus exposed invite airborne fungi spores in, to begin the sculpturing process.