The City of Cape Town is hosting an online public meeting about the invasive Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer beetle (PSHB), as trees in the leafy Southern Suburbs are under threat.

The beetle poses a serious threat to our urban forest as infested trees have to be chipped. Residents have been encouraged to get involved in preventing this pest from spreading even further.

Some trees in Newlands, Rondebosch, Mowbray and Claremont have been infested already, with the Liesbeek River being identified as a priority pathway.

The City’s Deputy Mayor and Mayoral Committee Member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Eddie Andrews, says the beetle is threatening our urban forest.

This is a very serious and alarming situation as infested trees need to be chipped. I want to caution our communities not to be complacent, and to inspect all trees on private properties for symptoms of infestation.

“It is very important to note that infested trees may not be removed from the property as the removal of the chipped wood will spread the pest to other areas.

At this online meeting, officials from our Invasive Species Unit will give important information on how to identify possible infestations, where to report it, and how to handle the chipped biomass. I urge residents to please attend this online meeting if possible, and to help us beat the beetle.”

Details of the online meeting:

· It will be hosted on Microsoft Teams

· Date: Tuesday, 7 February 2023

· Time: 18:30 to 20:00

· RSVP: https://forms.gle/T7mUexES6Qi9sHnd9

Infestation update:

· A Boxelder tree infested with the invasive Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer beetle (PSHB) was discovered on a private property in Newlands on 24 January 2023

· Since then, the Invasive Species Unit has been conducting assessments in the Newlands, Rondebosch, Mowbray and Claremont areas

· The Liesbeek River has been identified as a priority pathway, and the City has allocated resources to conduct assessments to determine the extent and distribution of the beetle in the area

· The City will soon commence with the removal of infested trees on City owned land – these are public open spaces, river corridors, green belts, road verges, public parks

· Unfortunately, the only way to prevent the spreading of the invasive beetle is to chip affected trees, and carefully remove the biomass under cover of heavy duty plastic and to incinerate it at an appropriate site. The use of pesticides and fungicides have a very limited effect.

· A PSHB beetle infestation was first discovered in Oldenland Road, Somerset West, in an ailing London plane in March 2019. To date, only trees in the Somerset West area have been affected and removed. The recent sightings in Newlands and surroundings are very alarming.

Andrews says until now, the City has managed to contain the invasive Asian borer beetle to the Somerset West area.

Experiences in California, Israel, and closer to home – in Gauteng, have shown that the PSHB beetle can easily spread across suburbs if extra precaution is not taken. Apart from infected wood, the 2mm big borer beetle can also spread through clothing, vehicle crevices, or unclean horticultural equipment,’ said Alderman Andrews.

The beetle’s most likely pathway or vector is through the movement of infested wood, originating from dead or dying PSHB infested trees, including wood intended to be used for cooking or heating.

How to report PSHB beetle sightings

· Online, at www.capetown.gov.za/InvasiveSpecies

· Call the City of Cape Town’s Invasive Species Unit on 021 444 2357, Monday to Friday, from 07:30 to 16:00

· Send an email to: invasive.species@capetown.gov.za

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