
The Gold Spotted Oak Borer Beetle, or GSOB for short, is an invasive tree pest that has been documented within Weir Canyon. Native to southeastern Arizona, it is thought that the beetle first traveled to southern California through infested firewood. This tiny beetle disrupts and depletes the ability of trees to take up nutrients by laying its eggs on the bark of the trees. The larvae then burrow beneath the bark to feed, and eventually kill the tree.