A couple of weeks ago, in a heavy wind (gusts to 60mph), one of the branches of the maple in my back yard cracked near the base. The limb was at least 30' long with many branches. At the point where it cracked it was about 10" in diameter. At the point where it joined the tree it was about 12".

When the branch came down it took an electrical line with it, so the utility had to come in and cut the branch down, leaving the debris in my yard. So I've been doing cleanup the last 2 weekends. In cutting up the branch I notices a reddish stain in the middle of the branch. There was also another limb on the other side of the tree that had a branch that would bang against my house in a wind. There was also a branch that was practically sitting on my roof. So I decided to take this one down as well. When I did, I saw the same reddish stain. As I cut up that branch I reached a portion where the branch had been hollowed out within the reddish stain and there were ants inside.

So that brings me to my question. Is thare anything I can do to save this tree? Should I just leave it or get it removed?

I would partly base my answer on if it is a silver maple, sharply cut leaves with a light green, silver underside? If so, it likely isn't worth saving. They are fast growing, but weak and prone to knock down power lines and roofs. The exposed roots beat up lawnmowers.

If it is a good hard maple with the less sharply cut leaves and darker underside, it may be worth trying to save. I think Diazone was banned, but check a garden center for something to kill ants in trees.

If you are not sure what I mean about the leaves, compare it to others. Another clue this time of year is the way the silver maple leaves curl up when they fall.

Somebody else mentioned that it might be a silver maple. Not sure if I have any more leaves on it, so I'll have to see.

I'm not worried about lawn mowers, don't own one. I should mention that this tree had thick ivy vines going up it, pretty high. I peeled them off at one point but they are growing back. One of the roots of this tree is running along the surface and is pretty thick and long.