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

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Articles

  • Brown pasture looper caterpillar

    Diagnosing brown pasture looper

    14 February 2014

    Caterpillars with a characteristic looping motion that chew seedling broadleaf crops.

  • Cabbage aphid

    Diagnosing canola aphids

    14 February 2014

    Small soft-bodied winged (adults only) or wingless insects that damage canola by direct feeding or as a viral disease carrier.

  • Cutworm moths

    Diagnosing cutworm in canola and pulses

    28 February 2014

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

  • Left to right: larva, pupa and newly emerged adult bronzed field beetle

    Diagnosing false wireworm

    17 February 2014

    False wireworms that damage canola crops are the larval stage of the bronzed field beetle.

  • Shiny black insects with light brown legs and rear pincers (Male left, female right)

    Diagnosing European earwig

    17 February 2014

    A chewing insect introduced from Europe that can damage seedling crops and contaminate grain. Mainly found in the southern wheatbelt.

  • Caterpillar up to 40 millimetres long usually with a dark streak along its body

    Diagnosing native budworm in canola

    14 February 2014

    The native budworm caterpillar can cause serious yield loss to canola as pods mature.

  • Chewed pea seed

    Diagnosing lucerne seed web moth in lupins and peas

    19 January 2015

    The larvae of the lucerne seed web moth (Etiella behrii - also called Etiella web moth) is an infrequent pest of peas and lupins.

  • Brown moth with yellow markings on the wings and orange rings around the body

    Diagnosing pasture day moth damage

    3 February 2015

    The caterpillar of the pasture day moth (Apina callisto) feeds on broadleaf weeds and crops, but is rarely a pest.

  • Seedlings with a brown mushy root/hypocotyl and cream maggots with dark jaws

    Diagnosing onion maggot in lupins and peas

    19 January 2015

    Onion maggot (Delia platura, incorrectly known as bean root maggot fly) rarely affects young lupin and pea crops sown into green decomposing organic matter.

     

  • Thrips

    Diagnosing thrips in lupins

    19 January 2015

    Onion thrips (Thrips tabaci) and plague thrips (Thrips imagines) are 2mm long, cigar shaped and range in colour from yellow-orange to dark grey.

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