The County of Santa Cruz and UC Cooperative Extension will host two community meetings this month to provide information about monitoring and mitigating the invasive shothole borer and protecting trees throughout Santa Cruz County.
Residents may attend either meeting: Felton — 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, Sept. 15, Felton Branch Library, Community Room, 6121 Gushee St.; or Santa Cruz — 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 18, London Nelson Community Center, Room 4, 301 Center St.
The invasive shothole borer was first detected along Zayante Creek near Felton in 2024 and was later identified as Euwallacea interjectus, a species native to Southeast Asia that had not previously been documented along the West Coast.
The beetle can cause tree dieback in urban, wildland and agricultural areas. Locally, it has primarily affected box elders, though California sycamore, coast live oak, willow and black cottonwood trees also have been attacked.
Signs of infestation may include small, round entry holes, wet staining, gumming, boring dust or sugary buildup on trees. Suspected damage can be reported to the Santa Cruz County Department of Agriculture at 831-763-8080.
Additional information is available at ISHB.org.
