Biosecurity Blitz

Page last updated: Thursday, 10 October 2024 - 11:05am

We’re asking WA residents to send us photos of any critters, insects, plant disease symptoms or weeds you spot between 16 October – 16 November.

Everyone benefits from pest surveillance

There are hundreds of organisms living around you. Most are harmless but some may damage your garden or threaten WA’s farms, forests, and natural ecosystems.

Every report submitted during Biosecurity Blitz receives a response back from our team of friendly experts and scientists. We’ll identify what’s in your photo, let you know whether it’s friend or foe, and how to sustainably manage it.

Your reports also help to:

  • map the distribution of pests and diseases in WA.
  • increase the likelihood of early detection of exotic pests.
  • prove that WA is free from pests and diseases – allowing WA farmers to sell their products across the globe.

What to keep an eye out for

For each weekend of the Biosecurity Blitz, we’re asking Blitzers to keep an eye out for a different surveillance theme. Try one of our fun activities to start your reporting journey:

Week 1 (19 & 20 October) – The borer that never got bored. Look out for borers and borer holes.

Week 2 (26 & 27 October) –  The unwanted guest that built a nest. Look out for ants.

Week 3 (2 & 3 November) – Who ruined my fruit salad? Look out for tropical tree fruit pests and diseases. 

Week 4 (9 & 10 November) – Nature's fantastic frequent flyers. Look out for pollinators including bees, moths, flies and wasps.

Photos of pests, weeds and diseases outside of these themes are still welcomed.

Get involved in the Blitz

Grab a mobile phone or camera and look in your backyard, local park or bushland for pests and diseases.

Send your photos in using the MyPestGuide® Reporter app or online portal.

The best photos submitted will be featured in Elsie the Entomologist’s weekly videos. Make sure you’re following us on Facebook to see if your pic gets picked!

  • Send up to four photos to our experts who will identify the pest and respond to your reports.
  • A GPS location, descriptive text and your details are all that is needed to make a report.
  • Once submitted view your reports on the community map and learn from others.
  • You can also share your report via social media.
 MyPestGuide - Reporter

Report your observations
via app or online
mypestguide.agric.wa.gov.au

Contact information

Technical support - MyPestGuide®