Pests

Animal pests, both vertebrates (backbone) and invertebrates (no backbone), can have an adverse impact on agriculture, the natural environment and even our lifestyle. Animal pests may be exotic animals which are introduced, either accidentally or deliberately. Native animals may also be pests in certain situations.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development manages pests in Western Australia through policy development, risk assessment, research and development, provision of technical advice and information, implementation of regulation, emergency response, property inspections, industry liaison, and the planning and coordination of significant species control/eradication programs.

For advice on pests search our website, the Western Australian Organism List or contact our Pest and Disease Information Service (PaDIS).

For diagnostic services, please contact our Diagnostic Laboratory Services.

Articles

  • Diseases that occur underground can be difficult to detect and diagnose but they must be identified correctly to enable appropriate control measures to be implemented.

  • Citrophilus mealybug (Pseudococcus calceolariae) is an exotic pest to Western Australia.

  • Black scale (Saissetia oleae) is a major pest of Australian olives, reducing tree vigour, yield and the quality of fruit and oil.

  • Two mealybug species, the longtailed mealybug (Pseudococcus longispinus), and obscure mealybug (Pseudococcus viburni) occur in grapevines and deciduous fruit tree crops in Western

  • Grain insects are not permitted in export grain or grain for sale and there is a zero tolerance for insects in export hay. Protecting against field and stored grain pests is therefore critical.

  • Monitoring your crop allows timely intervention to manage constraints, assess crop growth, target maximum crop yield and optimise grain quality and profitability.

  • Aim:

    To provide an update to the Western Australian grains industry on surveillance for Russian wheat aphid (RWA) in WA and effective management should the pest be found in WA.

  • Bananas in the Ord River Irrigation Area face two major insect pests (banana weevil borer and sugarcane bud moth) and two mites (russet and two-spotted).

  • Sweet potato weevil Cylas formicarius (Fabricius) is the most serious pest of sweet potato, not only in the United States, but around the world.

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