Ornamental Cherry: Shothole borer

Biology

Shothole borer larvae feed between the bark and the wood on the limbs and trunks of cherry trees. The white larvae (bark beetles) are about 1/8″ long and feed in galleries made beneath the bark parallel to the grain of the wood. The adults emerge from the trees, leaving numerous small holes about the diameter of a pencil lead in the bark. Adult beetles are black with cinnamon-colored antennae and legs. They are about 1/8″ long or less. Shothole borers may bore into the buds of healthy trees, but are primarily attracted to unhealthy trees. Sunscald damage to trunks during winter serves as a common entry point for these beetles.

Management Options

Use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for successful plant problem management.

Non-chemical Management

Select non-chemical management options as your first choice!

• Provide proper plant culture to maintain health and increase resistance to shothole borer attack.
• Prune out all dead and dying branches.
• Burn, chip, or otherwise destroy all infested or suspicious prunings to prevent emergence of adults.
• Remove dead or dying trees from the landscape.
• Whitewashing trunks or applying commercial white trunk bands helps prevent sunscald and borer infestations.

Chemical Management

IMPORTANT: Visit Home and Garden Fact Sheets for more information on using pesticides.

• None recommended

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