Shot hole borer beetle: 'I haven't seen an English Oak that's survived this' – Arborist

CapeTalk's John Maytham interviews Paul Barker, an arborist.

Listen below:

Cape Town’s once-majestic urban forests are under attack from a tiny yet deadly invader – the polyphagous shot hole borer (PSHB). 

Barker explains that the threat lies in the fusarium fungus carried by the PSHB.

He explains that certain tree species have no resistance to the fungus, causing them to succumb rapidly. 

RELATED: Most of Cape Town's English Oaks will be gone in 5 years - expert

"We're seeing that happening in English Oaks... I haven't seen an English Oak that has survived this."

- Paul Barker

Symptoms of infested trees to look out for:

• Branch dieback: Branches show cracks, discoloured leaves, and become dry, and leafless. Severed branches often reveal intricate web-like galleries filled with black fungus.
• Gumming: The beetles create small holes in the bark, causing blobs of gooey sap to ooze out. This 'gumming' is one of the earliest signs of infestation.
• Entry and exit holes: Small, sesame-seed-sized holes appear in the tree bark. Around these holes, shotgun-like scars may also develop.
• Staining: Brown or dark stains on the bark of the tree.

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.