These insects cause a lot of damage, usually to fig trees. They penetrate the trunk via tiny holes and then bore down into the wood; the branches then break off at these entrance holes.

We’ve asked expert horticulturist JJ van Rensburg of Garden World in Johannesburg how to solve the problem.

‘This pest is a fig tree borer (one of the long-horned species), which lays its eggs in the trunks of fig trees. After the larvae hatch, they can live in the trunk for two to three years and will continue to bore tunnels. Unfortunately, there is no easy way of getting rid of this pest, but you can try the following…’

• Because the beetles are laying eggs in the lower 60cm of the tree, you can wrap fine mesh around the lower 100cm of the trunk; this won’t block the sunlight but will prevent the beetles from laying their eggs in the trunk.
• Your other option is to stick thin wire into the tunnels to pierce the larvae and kill them – a time-consuming process, but it can work.

 

Source: Home magazine