{"id":42191,"date":"2025-01-24T17:10:36","date_gmt":"2025-01-24T15:10:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/dreaded-shot-hole-borer-beetles-found-in-durbanville-trees-20250124\/"},"modified":"2025-03-20T05:40:39","modified_gmt":"2025-03-20T03:40:39","slug":"dreaded-shot-hole-borer-beetles-found-in-durbanville-trees-20250124","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/tygerburger\/dreaded-shot-hole-borer-beetles-found-in-durbanville-trees-20250124\/","title":{"rendered":"Dreaded shot hole borer beetles found in Durbanville trees"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The City of Cape Town is urging residents to attend a vitally important online information session about the invasive Polyphagous shot hole borer beetle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This came after the City informed residents that samples taken from a Boxelder and Sweet Viburnum tree on a private property in Wellway Park in Durbanville tested positive for the Polyphagous shot hole borer beetle. This latest infestation is the first to be discovered in this area, and is of great concern, according to a media release by the City.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The session, hosted by Eddie Andrews, deputy mayor and Mayco member for spatial planning and environment,, and officials from the City\u2019s invasive species unit, will take place on Tuesday 28 January from 17:00 until 18:30.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The City recommends that residents who have trees on their properties to set time aside to learn more about the beetle including the threat posed by it to Cape Town\u2019s urban forest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The City was first notified of a possible infested tree in Durbanville and deployed a team of monitors from the invasive species unit to assess the area and to collect samples for DNA verification. Following the DNA verification, unfortunately it has been confirmed that the Boxelder and Sweet Viburnum trees are indeed infested with the beetle, according to the media release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Several other trees including English Oak, Liquid Amber and Chinese Cottonwood on the same property and the neighbouring property have also been found to have symptoms of infestation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAt this point, we cannot confirm the number of infested trees in the Durbanville area as a whole as surveys are currently under way. I am urging all private land owners in Durbanville to urgently inspect the trees on their properties for symptoms and to contact us immediately should any of these be visible on any trees. The City also needs access to private properties to conduct a full assessment to determine the extent of the infestation in and around Durbanville.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Access to properties<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI therefore ask residents please to give the teams access to their properties so that we can determine the extent of the infestation. We are extremely concerned about the latest sighting and request the assistance and cooperation of residents and businesses that work with plant material,\u201d says Andrews.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBoxelder trees are one of the four highly susceptible reproductive host trees for the shot hole borer beetle. Both the beetles and the fungus are able to establish, and the beetle successfully reproduces in these trees. Once attacked, Boxelder trees typically die within one year and they amplify the beetle population and increase the risk to surrounding trees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBoxelder is thus an ideal tree that can be used as an indicator of an early infestation in a new area. All landowners across the City with Boxelder trees on their properties are to notify the City by logging these trees on https:\/\/www.inaturalist.org\/projects\/box-elders-cpt. This will help the City set up monitoring interventions that will assist with catching a new invasion early,\u201d he urges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All staff doing the survey and tree assessments will wear City of Cape Town branded clothing and will present official staff identification cards to gain access to properties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The latest infestation statistics (excluding Durbanville):<\/div>\n
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