Paul van den Elzen, Somerset West
Strolling down Prospect Avenue, in Somerset West, on Thursday March 19, I noticed all the mature London Plane Trees planted there show chipmarks on the main trunk, from the bottom upwards.
Upon closer inspection I noticed the small, revealing entry holes of the, I presume, shothole borer beetle.
It would seem that a preliminary inspection has been carried out and some localised treatment applied. We are well aware of the fact that this beetle causes deadly havoc among all our trees. The London Plane, obviously, is alien, but, having said that, it has been indigenised, like the American Grey Squirrel or the Rainbow Trout still swimming the upper reaches of our Lourens River.
I would appreciate some follow-up on this so we may be informed whether these Plane Trees will have to be destroyed or not.
