Shot hole borer beetle-busting research

An ongoing concern of tree lovers is the tiny polyphagous shot hole borer beetle (PSHB), which bores into tree trunks, introducing a fungus that weakens and often kills the trees.

Initial research findings from Vergelegen Wine Estate in Somerset West, the site of an intensive three-year research project on the PSHB (Euwallacea fornicatus), have generated valuable insights:

• Researchers are better informed about the seasonal distribution of the beetle, which will help inform how to manage it;