10/09/2025
Australia on alert to shot hole borer threat as WA pivots to tree canopy rehabilitation - ABC News https://share.google/frw4MQb3wwbQEIETJ
Going rogue – may be a bit of a harsh expression?! We did what any good neighbour (state) would do !!
We read about the pshb problem and heard about the frustrations in trying to combat it. The timing was fortunate because, for the last 3 years, BHA’s new product development has been very focused on tree health products. We had also previously developed a well-established delivery system for treating trees – the InJecta stem injection technology.
After hearing about the pshb problem, we developed and produced three products and donated three of our Injectas for the City of Canning to trial out in Bicentennial park. The best performing product so far is a combination of insecticide and two fungicides - all in very small quantities but proven to translocate throughout the tree's vascular system to reach these little pests. A six-months’ time point inspection was just recorded in August 2025, and the results are similar to our 3 months' time point inspection – a very high kill rate, of both borer and fungi.
We are now waiting for an Emergency Permit from APVMA. When this is issued, we can really respond to the many, many requests we and our partnering industry colleagues have had from around Perth and believe we can have a concrete impact in helping manage the spread of this bug.
Our associate John Szymanski has done a brilliant job with various media groups in keeping the public and councils aware of this one successful development.
Going
It's barely the size of a sesame seed, but the shot-hole borer has quickly devastated Western Australia's tree canopy. Experts are warning other states and territories to take action now to avoid a similar fate.
