Curtin University researchers have released a new study forecasting where outbreaks of the polyphagous shot-hole borer insect could strike next.
The tree-killing beetle (known as PSHB) is already causing widespread damage across the Perth metropolitan area and has triggered a costly response in Western Australia aimed at stopping further spread nationwide.
In mid-2025, the National Management Group declared the invasive pest no longer feasible to eradicate, shifting the national response toward containment.
Click here to access the PSHB Survey Planner app
Image: Image Credit: Dgomezuf / Wikimedia Commons
Produced By: Toni Pankaluic
Featured In Story: Dr Andrew Coates – Lead Author & Research Associate, Curtin University School of Molecular and Life Sciences
First aired on The Wire, Monday 16 February 2026