A new pest threatens Africa’s iconic baobab trees

Batocera rufomaculata is a longhorn beetle commonly known as the Mango stem-borer which is a serious pest to numerous tree crops in Asia and the Middle East. Recently B. rufomaculata was found on baobab ( Adansonia digitata L.) in an isolated population in the Sultanate of Oman. This is the first report of B. rufomaculata on baobab, and the first known case of an insect causing adult baobab tree mortality. A survey of this population revealed that 6 trees (4%) had died due to B. rufomaculata infection, while out of the 91 trees examined, 12 (13%) were found to be infested by the larvae. B. rufomaculata has not yet reached Africa, where baobab is an important native tree. Preventive actions and research into chemical and biological controls are recommended to avoid its spread.