Kimberley
All mould and pollen levels were very low during this sampling period of high temperatures and no rain. Only grass pollen was seen. 45 mm rain fell immediately after this sampling week so mould counts are expected to increase.
Gqeberha
No pollen counts were available for this site during the holiday period.
Cape Town
Tree, grass and weed pollen levels were low during this sampling period of cooler weather with moderate rain. Tree pollen identified was Casuarina and white stinkwood and weed pollen detected was goosefoot and Umbilliferae (celery, carrot or parsley family). Mould levels were uniformly low with a small but insignificant peak for rust spores.
Bloemfontein
Pollen levels in the categories: trees, grass and weeds were all low. Tree types included birch, eucalyptus, white stinkwood and Casuarina. Only fern spores were detected in the weed pollen category. Mould levels were generally low, but increased in response to rain and ascospores were seen in higher numbers.
Pretoria
No pollen counts were available for this site during the holiday period.
Johannesburg
No pollen counts were available for this site during the holiday period.
Durban
High levels of mould spores were seen during this humid sampling week. Ascospores and Cladosporium reached high levels and basidiospores and Epicoccum levels increased. Grass counts were low as were tree pollen levels (Casuarina, birch, eucalyptus, pine and white stinkwood). Low levels of weed pollen were detected and these were: goosefoot, fern, daisy and Umbilliferae of the carrot, celery and parsley family pollen.
Overall report
Access to the sampling sites is not possible over the holiday period at some universities or institutions. The pollen and mould concentrations in the atmosphere were generally low, but high mould spikes were seen in Durban. Summer rainfall areas are seeing higher grass counts despite the low daily mean counts and tree pollen is still seen at all the sites. Weed/herbaceous shrub levels are also low but an increasing diversity of weed pollen types was seen at many of the sites.
