Common Insect & Mite: Shothole borer

Photo by: A.L. Antonelli

Use IPM (Integrated Pest Management) for successful plant problem management.

Biology Shothole borer is one of several bark beetle species that attack trees in stress due to disease, injury, etc. It is a small, black, stout, but somewhat elongate, beetle. The larvae of these beetles mine in the cambium layer under the bark of alder, cherry, apple, plum, and many ornamental trees. The result is almost always death of the tree. Evidence of infestation includes rapid tree decline and pencil-lead-sized emergence holes in the trunk and major limbs.

Management Options

• Provide proper culture. Healthy trees are less likely to be attacked and more likely to survive infestations.
• Prune out infested wood. Destroy prunings to reduce chances of reinfestation.
• Whitewash trunks of young trees or purchase white plastic tree trunk wraps to prevent sunburn.

Revision Date:5/6/2009

Burn prunings and keep trees in vigorous growing condition. Borer attack usually indicates trees are in an unhealthy condition. Direct trunk and limb sprays to infested and neighboring trees when adults are active (June-July, Sept-Oct) may be effective. Refer to registered pesticides for the specific host plant.

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