The City of Cape Town has appealed to all residents to be on the look out for the destructive shot hole borer beetle, after it has now spread to Somerset West.

The invasive bug was discovered in Oldenland Road in Somerset West by passionate gardeners and environmentalists who noted that a London plane tree in their garden was ailing and exhibited signs of an infestation.

The City’s Invasive Species Unit was contacted last month and a student with a Master’s of Science degree (MSc) from Stellenbosch University who is currently working on the PSHB beetle for his thesis, collected samples from the infested sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) and London plane trees in Oldenland Road for laboratory analyses.

It’s the first time that the beetle has been found within the boundaries of the City of Cape Town.

The Manager of the Invasive Species Unit Chandre Rhoda says the beetle can cause lots of damage to trees, and they need all Capetonians help to stop the spread.

The City is working on a plan to remove the trees. It is critical that the PSHB beetles are not spread during the removal project.

An experienced invasive plant removal team trained in the dangers of vector pathways and cleaning equipment will be appointed to assist the City.

The wood will be chipped on site and carefully removed to a different site for solarisation or burning.

The City is encouraging residents to report any suspected sightings of a PSHB invasion or fusarium dieback online by visiting the Invasive Species Unit’s shot hole borer reporting tool on www.capetowninvasives.org.za.

More about the PSHB beetle

• The beetle is the size of a sesame seed and is approximately two millimetres in length. Its symbiont fungal partner are threatened trees across South Africa
• It is an ambrosia beetle native to Southeast Asia
• It was first discovered in South Africa in 2017 on London plane trees in KwaZulu-Natal’s National Botanical Gardens in Pietermaritzburg
• The beetle is invading and poses a threat to exotic and indigenous trees across South Africa
• 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.