Cape Town confirms 128 sightings of the beetle pest

The invasive Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer beetle pest (PSHB) has been spreading steadily, with at least 128 sightings in the City of Cape Town.

THE CITY REPORTED 128 SIGHTINGS OF BEETLE PEST  

The latest beetle pest infestations have been confirmed in Observatory along the Liesbeek River and Kenilworth in Cape Town.

Within less than a month, the city has recorded at least 128 sightings of this pest in the Southern suburbs.

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The beetle was discovered outside of the Somerset West area for the first time on 24 January 2023 with the sighting of an infested Boxelder tree on private property along Kildare Road in Newlands.

Since then, more sightings have been reported in Newlands, Rondebosch, Mowbray, Claremont, and the Liesbeek River corridor.

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CAPE TOWN BEETLE PEST FOUND ITS WAY TO OBSERVATORY

Cape Town MMC for Spatial Planning and Environment, Alderman Eddie Andrews, confirmed the beetle had found its way to Observatory along the Liesbeek River and Kenilworth.

He said more sightings of Boxelder trees had been reported to the city.

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“This is extremely alarming and confirms our worst fear: that the pest is spreading and that we will probably discover more sightings in more areas as the weeks go by. By 21 February 2023, we have recorded a total number of 128 infested trees.”

Eddie Andrews

Andrews says the pest seriously threatens Cape Town’s urban forest as infested trees have to be chipped.

BEETLE PEST THREATENS CAPE TOWN’S URBAN FOREST

“All trees are threatened, from those on private properties to those along our roads, on verges, in our parks, and at wine farms. I want to urge private property owners, and wine farm owners in particular, to be on high alert as infestations of oak trees have been confirmed at wine farms outside of the city’s boundaries.”

Eddie Andrews

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‘This is a tiny beetle, but the potential damage is at scale. I am urging residents to look for symptoms, and owners of nurseries and landscapers should do the same.

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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