I did not see any insect feeding

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Dear douglsmithson,

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YOUR QUESTION #0031570:

Bark split on tree trunk

What causes the bark to split open. No signs of insect feeding

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Hello Doug, happy to help.

There are a number of possible causes for a tree's bark to split.  The common one is due to sun scald in winter when the sun warms up the tree usually on the southern or southwestern side and then the tree quickly freezes as soon as the sun sets.  This freeze/thaw cycle can cause the bark to split.  I can see the dark bark to either side of the stripped center.  This is the tree attempting to heal itself which is probably why it's still doing well - maybe (I can't see the canopy so I don't know.)

Insect larva feeding underneath the bark is another cause if enough of the cambium has been damaged.  See attached photo of the s-shaped feeding gallery that the two-lined chestnut borer made.  You may not see the larva but evidence of their prior presence can still be seen.

Squirrels will strip bark from trees to make nests or feed on the cambium if they're low on food in late winter or early spring.  Sometimes they chew on bark just to sharpen their teeth.

I don't know what kind of tree this is but I see that it has no root flare at the base of it.  It may have been planted too deep.  If that happened, there's the possibility that its roots may be girdling the trunk of the tree which can end up restricting nutrients and water from getting into the canopy.  Have you seen issues with the leaves being too small, not quite the right color or even missing?  Here is a link to more information about stem girdling that explains this issue.  You'll need to open the PDF on the left of the page.

I hope this gives you some ideas.