It has been just over three years since the Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer (PSHB), Euwallacea fornicatus, was found infesting London Plane trees in the KwaZulu-Natal National Botanical Garden, Pietermaritzburg, by FABI postdoctoral Research Fellow, Dr Trudy Paap. Since then, the PSHB has spread rapidly across the country, andit has now been found in all provinces except Limpopo. The discovery of this beetle in South Africa is of major concern as these organisms, together with its fungal symbiont, Fusarium euwallaceae, can be aggressive tree killers. The PSHB affects a wide range of trees across various landscapes, with urban forests being particularly heavily impacted. The PSHB Research Network in FABI has been at the forefront of research and field extension work, and to this end has created an online resource for use by both the public and academia. This website and information brochures have recently been extensively updated and is now a valuable and detailed resource that includes responses to Frequently Asked Questions, distribution map, an updated list of confirmed host tree species and other pertinent information.

Click here to view the PSHB website.