I have a red maple that has been peeling a lot of bark in the last week. Could this be due to the early, excessive heat we’ve had in the Midwest? And is it something to be concerned about?

Hi, Pamela! It's very hard to say without photos so I would suggest reaching out to your local office in Sangamon County....Call 217-782-4617 or email uiemg-lms@illinois.edu . Send photos of the whole tree so they can see the surrounding area as well as close ups of the damage. I'm sure they will also want to know the age of the tree (how long has it been planted there at least) and are you having any other issues with it - branch die-back? Leaf spots? Good luck!