Polyphagous shot-hole borer
Polyphagous shot-hole borer is an invasive beetle species that infests a wide range of trees, causing damage by boring into the wood and spreading pathogenic fungi. A Quarantine Area divided into two zones is in place with rules applied to the movement of wood or plant materials.
About the polyphagous shot-hole borer
Polyphagous shot-hole borer (PSHB, Euwallacea fornicatus) is a tiny (approx. 2mm long, the size of a sesame seed) invasive beetle native to Southeast Asia that attacks a wide range of trees and plants, with over 500 documented globally to have been affected.
The beetle has been detected in the Perth metropolitan area, and a Quarantine Area has been implemented to help protect Western Australia’s forests, food and agriculture industries.
This restriction aims to prevent the spread of the pest by limiting the movement of wood, green waste and plant materials.
PSHB was detected in WA in August 2021. Since then, the department has been leading a nationally funded and coordinated biosecurity response.
Stay up to date by subscribing to the monthly PSHB e-newsletterCurrent situation
The national response to polyphagous shot-hole borer (PSHB) is transitioning from an eradication strategy to a long-term management approach after the National Management Group determined the borer was no longer technically feasible to eradicate.
A national Transition to Management (T2M) response plan is now in place and is being delivered by DPIRD.
This phase of the response includes development and implementation of strategies to slow the spread of PSHB through targeted surveillance, the creation of an Integrated Pest Management Program and provision of support and training for landowners to build capacity for long term management of the pest.
Under the national T2M response plan, DPIRD’s tree pruning and removal program will focus on trees in the outer Perth metropolitan area that pose a risk of spreading the borer outside of the Quarantine Area (QA). All other landowners and managers in the Perth metropolitan area are now responsible for managing borer-affected trees.
DPIRD is committed to protecting Perth’s urban tree canopy and WA’s horticulture industry by working closely with local governments, community groups and industry bodies to build resilience against PSHB.
A new Quarantine Area Notice (QAN), to support the T2M phase of the response, has come into effect. The QAN covers the entire Perth metropolitan area. Movement restrictions on Firewood, green waste, live plants and plant material still apply to help prevent the spread of PSHB.
Metropolitan Local Government Authorities can apply for a Shot-hole borer Local Government Support Scheme grant to aid in the ongoing management of PSHB.
Polyphagous shot-hole borer eNews
Subscribe to the department's monthly PSHB eNews for articles, information and updates about the PSHB Transition to Management response.
Protect your garden
- When pruning, check for signs of borer infestation which can include tiny 1 mm shot-holes (the size of a ballpoint pen tip), galleries or tunnels in the wood, branch dieback, staining or lesions (dark discolouration), frass (sawdust-like material), gumming (resin and sap), sugar volcanoes (white crystalline or foamy substance).
- Make sure wood mulch is from a reputable supplier (garden stores) and preferably from an unaffected species such as pine trees.
- Or use non-wood mulch products such as stone, rubber, straw, hay, grass clippings or compost.
- Don’t move plants or plant parts and cuttings with stems greater than 2 cm in diameter outside the Perth metro area.
- Disinfect pruning tools. Any tools (including chainsaws and woodchippers) that come into contact with infested wood should be sanitised before using on uninfested trees. 70% ethanol is the preferred disinfectant.
- Plant native species over exotic plants.
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PSHB Quarantine boundary mappdf (834 KB)
Quarantine Area restrictions
- cannot move untreated or unseasoned wood outside the Management Zone, unless chipped to pieces that are 2.5 cm or less in diameter.
- cannot move plant materials, including living plants, that are greater than 2 cm in diameter outside the Management Zone.
- must ensure any machinery used to handle wood or plant material is cleaned before it can be moved outside the Management Zone.
- can move wood or plant materials, including living plants, within the Management Zone.
Green waste
Green waste can be transported to and disposed of at your local government waste facility. All green waste transported to these facilities must be securely contained in a fully sealed and covered skip bin, trailer, or truck.
- cannot move untreated or unseasoned wood outside the Quarantine Area, unless chipped to pieces that are 2.5 cm or less in diameter.
- cannot move plant materials, including living plants, that are greater than 2 cm in diameter outside the Quarantine Area.
- must ensure any machinery used to handle wood or plant material is cleaned before it can be moved outside the Quarantine Area.
- can move wood, plant materials and living plants, into the Management Zone and within the Containment Zone.
Green waste
Green waste can be transported to and disposed of at your local government waste facility. All green waste transported to these facilities must be securely contained in a fully sealed and covered skip bin, trailer, or truck.
The pest and its impacts
The beetle excavates tunnels, or galleries, in the trunks and branches of trees. It introduces a Fusarium fungus into these tunnels which it uses as a food source. The fungus spreads inside the trees, disrupting the plant’s vascular system and the flow of water nutrients, which may lead to tree death.
Detection of the beetle can be difficult as they are very small – roughly the size of a sesame seed. Symptoms that a tree has been infested by the borer include 1 mm diameter shot-holes, galleries, dieback, staining/lesions, frass and gumming. Native to Southeast Asia, the shot-hole borer has spread to countries including Israel, the USA, South Africa, Argentina and now, Western Australia.
If you see signs of the borer or any other pests, report them as soon as possible via the MyPestGuide® Reporter app or contact the Pest and Disease Information Service (PaDIS) on 08 9368 3080 or padis@dpird.wa.gov.au.
Burn firewood where you buy it
- The shot-hole borer does not move far on its own but can easily spread through the movement of unseasoned wood, green waste and plant material.
- Help us keep the borer out of regional Western Australia – don’t move wood to outside the Perth metro area.
- When going camping or to holiday accommodation, make sure you buy firewood where you’re planning to burn it.
- Don’t burn wood that shows signs of borer damage. The beetles disperse when infested wood is burnt.
PSHB Awareness and Surveillance Online Training
This course contains information about Polyphagous shot-hole borer (PSHB), identification of host species, symptoms of infestation and reporting.
PSHB Nursery Stock Inspection Course
This training is for Western Australian nurseries operating within the PSHB quarantine area for certification of employees to conduct an inspection for suspect borer or borer activity in nursery stock in compliance with the Quarantine Area Notice. To apply for the PSHB Nursery Stock Inspection Course please email:
Watch the PSHB National Stakeholder Workshop video
The DPIRD PSHB response team delivered a national workshop aimed at strengthening the understanding of PSHB, managing the pest and the response transition to management (T2M) on 19 March 2026.
The workshop brought together both local and international experts, including subject matter experts Professor Shannon Lynch from California, Professor Francois Roets and Professor Brett Hurley from South Africa, Dr Kristy Moynihan from WAARC touching on current research programs, Chelsea Payne curator arboriculturist from Kings Park Botanical Gardens (BGPA) and DPIRD staff.
News and initiatives
Factsheets
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PSHB Response Plan Summarypdf (208 KB)
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Polyphagous shot-hole borer (PSHB) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)pdf (397 KB)
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PSHB Alert factsheetpdf (537 KB)
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PSHB Affected plants list - WApdf (393 KB)
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PSHB Affected plants list WA - Susceptibility methodologypdf (261 KB)
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PSHB Affected plants list - Globalpdf (639 KB)
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PSHB Tree species exclusion listpdf (232 KB)
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PSHB Quarantine boundary mappdf (834 KB)
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PSHB Quarantine Area Noticepdf (244 KB)
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List of Waste Management Facilities exempt under the PSHB Quarantine Area Noticepdf (273 KB)