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

Spider mite pests of Western Australian plants

9 October 2013

Mites of the Tetranychidae family (commonly known as spider mites) include some important pests of economic concern to agriculture and forestry.
Glassy-winged sharpshooter: declared pest

16 September 2022

Glassy-winged sharpshooter (Homalodisca vitripennis) is a sucking leafhopper known to be a vector to bacterium Xylella fastidiosa, which causes various serious plant diseases.
Pest and Disease Information Service (PaDIS)

15 October 2013

The Pest and Disease Information Service (PaDIS) provides advisory and identification services on animal and plant pests, weeds and diseases that impact Western Australia's agriculture and food ind
Managing apple dimpling bug

17 March 2014

Apple dimpling bug (Campylomma liebknechti) adults feed on developing fruitlets of apples, pears, nashi pears and occasionally summerfruit (stone fruit) resulting in distortion that makes
Ground pearls - insect pests of lawns and turf

11 December 2013

Ground pearls are closely related to scale insects and can be serious pests of sugarcane and recreational turf.
Chemical control of western flower thrips

16 December 2013

Pesticides are often used to control western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis) in horticultural crops. However, western flower thrips is regarded to be a 'pesticide-induced proble
Insect control in waxflower

23 July 2014

The presence of insects in flower crops can result in feeding damage to flowers, leaves and stems or cause galls to form.
Root-knot nematodes in Western Australia

15 May 2014

Root-knot nematodes are plant-parasitic round worms with a broad host range which includes many important horticultural crops, pastures and some weed species.