- Author: Beatriz Nobua-Behrmann
- Posted by: Karey Windbiel-Rojas
When tiny tree-killing beetles first arrived in Southern California several years ago and began destroying urban and riparian forests, they raised widespread concerns among both tree experts and affected communities. More recently, invasive shothole borers have captured far less attention, and many people may think the pest threat is over. Unfortunately, it's not!
While significant progress has been achieved in invasive shothole borer research, surveying, trapping, and management programs, these beetles are still an ongoing threat to the state's urban and wildland trees. Continue reading to find out what you can do to be part of the solution to this invasive pest issue.
What are invasive shothole borers?
Invasive shothole borers (ISHB) (Figure 1) are sesame seed-sized beetles. They tunnel into trees and introduce a fungus that they use as their food source. As the fungus grows, it causes a plant disease called Fusarium dieback that leads to branch dieback, tree decline, and, in many cases, tree death.
The beetles and fungi can live and reproduce in a wide range of tree species including more than 65 types of trees found in California. The most highly susceptible trees include many species that are commonly used for landscaping like sycamores, some oaks, cottonwoods, and box elder. Invasive shothole borers can attack healthy, stressed, or diseased trees.
What's the problem?
Urban trees provide us with many benefits to our health and our economy. The trees around us reduce our stress levels, provide shade, allow for energy conservation, improve air quality, reduce stormwater runoff, and provide habitat for wildlife. It is important to protect them from invasive pests, like invasive shothole borers, which could potentially kill one out of three urban trees in California.
ISHB-infested trees can quickly become a public safety hazard. Trees with heavily infested branches can be especially hazardous. The combined damage of the fungal disease and the beetle's tunneling activity weakens the wood, causing limbs to break and fall (Figure 2). In addition, severely infested trees will become a constant source of beetles that can disperse and infest neighboring trees.
Where are they found?
These non-native beetles are now established in many areas of Southern California and the Central Coast. Female beetles are capable of flight over short distances, allowing the pest and its associated fungi to spread into new areas. Beetles can also be transported in infested firewood and green waste, leading to dispersal over much greater distances.
What to look for
Because they are very small and spend most of their lives inside their tree hosts, you probably won't see the beetles themselves, but there are several common signs and symptoms associated with their infestations: ?Beetle entry holes: When the beetles tunnel into the trees, they make small, perfectly round holes, each about the size of the tip of a medium ballpoint pen (Figure 3).
- Tree response symptoms: One or more of the following symptoms usually accompany the presence of entry holes (symptoms vary by the tree species): dark, wet staining; thick gumming; sugar-like buildup; or boring dust (resembles fine sawdust).
- Dieback: Dead or wilting branches can be a sign of a severe infestation. If you see dieback on trees, check for entry holes on the trunk or the branch collars.
What you can do
Several steps can be taken to prevent pest problems and manage infestations.
- Keep your trees healthy. Proper irrigation and maintenance will keep trees strong and help protect them from ISHB and other pests.
- Check your trees. Look for the common signs and symptoms listed previously. Regular monitoring ensures that infestations are managed early, before they cause dieback or tree death.
- Confirm suspected infestations using the detection tool on www.ishb.org. ?Know your management options. When possible, pruning infested branches is recommended. Low and moderately infested trees can be treated. You will need to contact a licensed professional to apply the treatments. Severely infested trees may require removal.
- Take care of green waste. The beetles can survive in cut wood for weeks or even months. Proper disposal of green waste includes chipping infested wood, followed by solarizing or composting the chips.
- Consult a professional. A certified arborist or pest control professional would be able to provide recommendations based on the conditions of your tree. Your County Agricultural Commissioner's office and UC Cooperative Extension office may have more knowledge about current ISHB monitoring and management programs in your area.
- Use locally sourced or heat-treated firewood. These beetles and other tree-killing insects often reach new locations by hitchhiking in firewood. Buy firewood where you will use it, and only buy the amount of firewood you need.
Visit www.ishb.org for more information about invasive shothole borers.
[Originally featured in the Summer 2022 issue of UC IPM's Home & Garden Pests Newsletter.]
- Author: Randall Oliver
A new video outlining best practices in monitoring and sampling for invasive shothole borers (ISHB) is now available on the University of California Integrated Pest Management YouTube channel. View it at https://youtu.be/1LKKJe3NgTY
Invasive shothole borers are tiny beetles that pose a major threat to Southern California's urban forests. Managing these pests and preventing their spread requires early identification and ongoing monitoring. This video describes how to monitor for the beetles and how to take and submit tissue and beetle samples for identification. Learn more at www.ishb.org.
This video was produced by the University of California Cooperative Extension and the University of California Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program
Content: Beatriz Nobua-Behrmann, John Kabashima, Curtis Ewing, Albre Brown, Akif Eskalen, Randall Oliver
Narrated by: Cheryl Reynolds
Videographer/Editor: Randall Oliver
Photos: Monica Dimson, Curtis Ewing, Akif Eskalen, John Kabashima, Randall Oliver
Small beetles are causing big problems in Southern California. Two closely related species, the polyphagous shot hole borer and the Kuroshio shot hole borer (collectively referred to as invasive shot hole borers), have been attacking more than 60 species of trees. These invasive beetles create a series of tunnels, or galleries, where they lay eggs and cultivate a Fusarium fungus to use as a food source. The fungus causes branch dieback, general tree decline, and can result in tree death. The beetles have been found in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Diego counties.
What should you look for?
- Perfectly round entry holes about the size of the tip of a ballpoint pen
- Wet staining, gumming, white powdery exudate, or frass associated with holes
- Dead or wilting branches on trees
To learn more about these invasive shot hole borers, management options, and reporting, see this blog post and the UC ANR Invasive Shot Hole Borers website.
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- Author: Beatriz Nobua Behrmann
[Originally published in the Fall 2018 issue of the Green Bulletin. Modified slightly from original.]
Invasive wood-boring beetles are attacking hundreds of thousands of trees in southern California, including commercial avocados, and trees within urban landscapes and wildland environments.
The invasive shot hole borers (ISHBs) consist of two closely related and morphologically identical species of beetles in the genus Euwallacea: the polyphagous shot hole borer and the Kuroshio shot hole borer. Despite their small size (1.8–2.5 mm) (Figure 1), these beetles are causing big problems in Southern California: they are responsible for the fast decline and death of thousands of urban trees, riparian natural forests, and avocado groves.
The beetles bore into trees, creating a series of small galleries (Figure 2). Inside these galleries, they lay eggs and “farm” a fungus (Fusarium spp.), which is their main food source. The fungus colonizes the trees' vascular systems, blocking transport of water and nutrients. This causes a disease called Fusarium dieback that manifests as branch dieback, general tree decline and, in many cases, tree death (Figure 3).
Both insect species are believed to have been accidentally introduced into California via wood products or shipping materials from southeast Asia. Since ISHBs were first identified in Los Angeles County in 2012, the infestation has spread to 6 other counties: Orange, San Diego, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Bernardino, and Riverside. Once the beetles arrive at a new location, they colonize susceptible host trees and spread to neighboring areas, infesting more and more trees. Movement of infested firewood and green waste are additional ways the beetles may be transported, allowing them to colonize new areas.
Currently, there are 64 confirmed species of trees in which the beetles can successfully grow their fungus and complete their life cycle. Susceptible trees include many of the species commonly used for landscaping; like sycamores, oaks, cottonwoods, and box elder, among many others. UC Riverside researchers found that ISHBs can successfully colonize trees that were previously considered non-suitable hosts by entering and reproducing in canker-infested branches. Canker is another tree disease caused by fungal or bacterial pathogens that enter the tree through open wounds; it typically causes localized dead areas on the trunks and branches, with sunken, discolored bark and, sometimes, dark lesions.The ISHB beetles can establish their galleries and grow their population in the weakened margin of the canker-infested tissue of some of their hosts. Regular monitoring and removal of canker-infested branches is recommended for these tree species. To find the full list of ISHB reproductive hosts (including the canker-associated hosts) please visit pshb.org.
How do you determine if a tree is infested with ISHB?
Correct identification of the pest is the first step for a successful IPM program. The following are typical symptoms of an ISHB infestation:
- Beetle entry holes: When the beetles excavate their galleries in the trees they make perfectly round small holes, 0.8 mm wide, each roughly the size of the tip of a medium ballpoint pen. (Figure 4)
- Symptoms associated with holes: Entry holes are usually accompanied by one of these symptoms: wet staining, gumming (Figure 5), white powdery exudate (Figure 6), or frass (boring dust). Each species of tree exhibits different symptoms.
- Dieback: Dead or wilting branches can be signs of a severe infestation. If you see dieback on your trees, check for entry holes on the branches or the branch collar.
Best management practices
ISHB-infested trees can quickly become a public safety hazard. Trees with heavily infested branches are especially hazardous, since the combination of tissue decline caused by the fungal pathogen and the mechanical damage from the beetle's galleries weakens the wood, causing limbs to break and fall.
Early detection is the key to controlling this pest. So far, no effective preventative treatments have been reported, so regular monitoring is recommended to ensure infestations are managed early, before they cause dieback or death. Regular monitoring also ensures that trees get treated when they are lightly infested and have the most chances of overcoming the infestation. Researchers continue to study different methods for chemical and biological control of this pest. If you suspect you are dealing with an ISHB infestation, contact your local Agricultural Commissioner's office or IPM Advisor for treatment advice.
Trees that are severely infested (with more than 150 beetle attacks and ISHB-related branch dieback; Figure 7) are not likely to recover from the infestation and will become a constant source of beetles that can disperse and infest neighboring trees. Furthermore, weakened branches on such trees pose hazards to people and property. Therefore, severely infested trees should be removed as soon as possible and their wood properly disposed of. Even after an infested tree is removed, ISHBs can continue to live and reproduce in the stump, so following tree removal with stump grinding is always recommended.
Disposing of infested wood
Borers can survive in cut wood for weeks or even months. It is vital to take care of green waste appropriately in order to avoid spreading this pest to new areas. The most recommended practice is to chip infested wood to a size of 1 inch or smaller; this will kill 95% of the beetles. To ensure the elimination of all beetles and fungal spores within wood, you must solarize infested wood chips with a clear tarp. Other effective disposal methods for infested materials include composting, burning at a biogeneration facility, and use as alternative daily cover within landfills. Untreated chips can be used as mulch, but only in areas that are already heavily infested with ISHB. If chipping is not possible, logs should be kiln dried or solarized under a clear tarp to ensure total beetle elimination. Visit pshb.org for more information on solarization and composting guidelines.
ISHB and its associated fungal diseases can be accidentally spread into new areas by the same people who are trying to manage the problem. Make sure you disinfect your tools after pruning (spraying them with 70% ethanol solution works well), and always cover infested material when moving it to a different location (for instance, for treatment) to avoid spreading the pest.
/span>The Polyphagous shot hole borer (PSHB) (Fig. 1) and Kuroshio shot hole borer (KSHB) are invasive wood-boring beetles that attack dozens of tree species in Southern California, including commercial avocado groves, common landscape trees, and native species in urban and wildland environments. Both beetles spread a disease called Fusarium Dieback (FD), which is caused by pathogenic fungi. Trees that are FD-susceptible may experience branch dieback, canopy loss, and tree mortality (Fig. 2).
Insect Vector
Symptoms
External: A host tree's visible response to disease varies among host species. Sugary exudate (also called a sugar volcano) (Fig. 4), staining (Fig. 5), gumming (Fig. 6), and frass (Fig. 7) are among symptoms that may be noticeable before the tiny beetles are found. The beetle's entry holes, which are approximately 0.03 inches (0.85 mm) in diameter, can be located beneath or near the symptoms. Advanced fungal infections will eventually lead to branch dieback.
Internal: The fungi interrupt the transport of water and nutrients in branches of affected trees, leading to wood discoloration which can vary in color from brown to black. Shaving outer layer bark with a clean knife around beetle entry holes reveals obvious wood discoloration. Cross-sections of cut branches around affected areas show the extent of infection (Fig. 8).
Management on Landscape Trees
Chemical and biocontrol management strategies are currently being investigated for this pest-disease complex. Early detection of infestation and removal of the infested branches will help reduce vector populations and the spread of this pest-disease complex.
Cultural/Sanitation Practices
The removal of the heavily infested reproductive hosts will help reduce vector populations and the spread of this pest-disease complex.
- Chip infested wood onsite to a size of one inch or smaller. If the branch is too large to chip, solarize them under a clear tarp:
- Have wood chips composted at a professional composting facility that has earned the U.S. Composting Council's Seal of Testing Assurance at: http://compostingcouncil.org/participants/. Sterilize pruning tools with either 5% household bleach, Lysol cleaning solution, or 70% ethyl alcohol to prevent the spread of the pathogens through pruning tools
- Avoid movement of infested wood and chipping material out of infested areas unless the material is covered or contained during transport.
- Transport wood or chips to a biogeneration facility (biogeneration facilities burn green waste and convert it into energy).
- Transport wood or wood chips to a landfill where it will be used as Alternative Daily Cover.
- July - August: cover chips/logs with sturdy plastic for at least 6 weeks. Temperatures during these months should be regularly above 95°F (35°C)
- September - June: cover chips/logs with sturdy plastic for at least 6 months
For more information, visit the UC Riverside Eskalen Lab website (http://eskalenlab.ucr.edu) or pshb.org.
*Native species to California
~AkifEskalen1 akif.eskalen@ucr.edu, Joey S. Mayorquin1, Joseph D. Carrillo1, Shannon C. Lynch1, John Kabashima2, Tim Paine1, Richard Stouthamer1, Frank Byrne1 and Joseph Morse1. 1Department of Plant Pathology & Microbiology and Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside. 2UCCE Orange County.
-all photos by Akif Eskalen.