Pest insects

Pest insects can have adverse and damaging impacts on agricultural production and market access, the natural environment, and our lifestyle. Pest insects may cause problems by damaging crops and food production, parasitising livestock, or being a nuisance and health hazard to humans.

Western Australia is free from some of the world's major pest insects. Biosecurity measures on your property are vital in preventing the spread of insects.

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development provides:

  • biosecurity/quarantine measures at the WA border to prevent the entry of pest insects
  • where relevant post border biosecurity measures
  • advice on widespread pest insects present in the state.

For advice on pest insects 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.

See Also

Previous Pause Next

Articles

  • Roots and underground portions of stems of the left plants are chewed giving a shredded appearance

    Diagnosing sandgropers

    4 December 2013

    A chewing pest living entirely underground that can affect young crops on red and yellow sands in the West Midlands.

  • Rutherglen bug adult

    Diagnosing rutherglen bug

    4 December 2013

    Sap-sucking insects that can damage crops and pastures that emerge in warm conditions. Often associated with mintweed after summer rain. Adults can contaminate canola at harvest.

     

  • Adults generally dull coloured moths with some species having metallic-looking markings on their wings.

    Diagnosing armyworm

    4 December 2013

    When barley crops are maturing in spring, large armyworm caterpillars climb plants and can chew through the stems causing the heads to fall to the ground.  Damage to wheat and oat crops occurs less

  • Fallen tillers caused by adult beetles chewing stems in spring.

    Diagnosing African black beetle

    4 December 2013

    A pest of cereals and perennial grasses, adult and larval African black beetles can cause economic damage to wheat and barley crops during autumn and winter on the south coast of Western Australia

  • Silver leaf discolouration

    Monitoring insects and other crop pests

    24 March 2014

    Correct identification of insect pests is necessary in order to avoid economic damage being sustained and retain beneficial insects.

  • Larvae are found in the soil and are up to 20mm long, creamy-white with a darker head and curled into a 'C' shape

    Diagnosing cockchafers

    4 December 2013

    Cockchafer larvae feed underground on organic material with some species also serious pests of cereals. There are a number of species that are found in WA, however, only a few actually cause crop d

  • Cutworm moths

    Diagnosing cutworm in cereals

    4 December 2013

    Cutworm caterpillars feed on leaves and stems near ground level with stems often chewed through and ‘cut’ to ground level.

  • Desiantha larva (left) and adult (right). Not to scale

    Diagnosing Desiantha weevil in cereals

    4 December 2013

    The larvae of Desiantha weevil attack cereal crops especially along the south coast and in late plantings.

  • Reticulated slug often light grey-fawn with dark markings; black-keeled slug usually black with a prominent ridge down the back.

    Diagnosing slugs in crops

    4 December 2013

    There are two slug species that are pests of broadacre crops the black keeled slug and the reticulated slug.

  • Slater

    Diagnosing slaters in crops

    28 March 2014

    Slaters have only recently become a problem in high rainfall crops sown into dense stubble.

Pages

Filter by search

Filter by topic