Capetonians have been urged to check for signs of invasive polyphagous shot hole borer (PSHB) which is spreading in some suburbs.

PSHB is an ambrosia beetle about 2mm long which makes tunnels in the wood of trees. The female beetles infest trees with a fungus — they feed on this fungus, not the wood — and it is the fungus that kills the trees. 

The creatures have decimated trees in parts of the country.

An infestation was initially discovered in 2019 at Somerset West.

However, another was located on a private property on January 24 this year in Newlands. They have also been found in Rondebosch, Mowbray and Claremont, with Liesbeek River identified as a priority pathway.   

“We are calling on residents, interest groups and experts to assist the city to prevent this pest from spreading further. The beetle is threatening our urban forest. This is a very serious and alarming situation. I want to caution our communities not to be complacent, and to inspect all trees on private properties for symptoms of infestation,” said deputy mayor and mayoral committee member for spatial planning and environment Eddie Andrews. 

Moving infested wood spreads the pest to other areas. Infested trees are chipped, the biomass relocated under a heavy-duty cover and incinerated. 

Officials from the city's invasive species unit planned to hold an online public meeting to explain how to recognise affected trees and report infestations via Microsoft Teams. RSVP here.

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