Urgent · Cape Town Tree Threat
Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer
What it is
An invasive 2 mm beetle is killing Cape Town's trees
The Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer (Euwallacea fornicatus) is an invasive ambrosia beetle native to Southeast Asia. It carries a symbiotic fungus, Fusarium euwallaceae, which causes branch dieback and the death of susceptible trees. First detected in South Africa in 2017, the beetle has now been confirmed in eight of the country's nine provinces. The Cape Town outbreak began around 2019 and has since spread through the Southern Suburbs, Northern Suburbs and into traditionally low-risk areas.
There is currently no licensed treatment for PSHB and no peer-reviewed studies showing any treatment is effective. Severely infested trees are unlikely to recover and act as a constant source of beetles that can spread to neighbouring trees. The City's position is that infested trees on private land should be removed by the property owner — that is the work we do.
Spreading rapidly through Southern & Northern Suburbs
Confirmed infestations span Newlands, Rondebosch, Mowbray, Claremont, Kenilworth, Observatory, Pinelands, Durbanville and beyond.
What to look for
Four early-warning signs on your trees
If you see any of these, do not move the wood off-site — call us for an inspection first.
Entry & exit holes
Tiny round holes (~2 mm — the size of a sesame seed) on the trunk and branches. Sometimes "shotgun-like" scars develop around the holes.
Gumming
Blobs of goo coming out of the bark — oozing of liquid and gum from the beetle holes. Especially visible on plane trees and oaks.
Staining
Brown or dark wet stains spreading from the holes down the bark. Often the first symptom homeowners notice.
Branch dieback
Cracks on branches, discoloured leaves, dry and leafless sections. Snapped branches reveal webs of galleries filled with black fungus.
Susceptible Species
The trees most at risk in your garden
The trees below have been identified as susceptible to PSHB in Cape Town's suburbs. High Risk tags are confirmed reproductive hosts — where the beetle breeds and spreads most aggressively. At Risk tags are confirmed hosts where infestation is serious. Older and drought-stressed trees are especially vulnerable. If you have any of these on your property, they are worth inspecting now.
How We Work
Our 4-step PSHB process
Every PSHB job we do follows the same protocol — designed around the City of Cape Town's containment guidance.
On-site inspection
A trained operator inspects the tree using the FABI taper protocol — the standard test for distinguishing PSHB from indigenous look-alikes.
Written quote
You get a clear, written quote with the recommended action — full removal, partial removal, or monitoring — and the price for each option.
Safe removal & on-site chipping
We fell sectionally where space requires it, chip the wood on site to reduce beetle survival, and bag any material that has to leave the property.
Solarisation & reporting
Chipped material is sealed under thick plastic and solarised. Confirmed sites are reported to the City of Cape Town's Invasive Species Unit.
If you suspect PSHB
Three things to do right now
Do not move the wood off-site
PSHB can survive in cut wood for weeks to months. Moving infested wood is one of the fastest ways the beetle gets to new neighbourhoods.
Get the tree professionally inspected
Visual confirmation by a trained arborist is the recommended way to distinguish PSHB from look-alike species like Xylobours perforans or Platypodinae.
Plan disposal under the right protocol
Chip the wood, then either compost or solarise under thick plastic for 6 weeks (Dec–Feb) or 6 months (Mar–Nov). This is the City's published guidance and the protocol we follow.
Suspect PSHB on your property? Book an inspection.
Send us a few photos and the suburb. We will tell you whether what you're seeing looks like PSHB, and if it does, give you a clear quote for the next step.