Pests, weeds & diseases

Pests, weeds and diseases pose a serious risk for primary producers as they can impact on market access and agricultural production.

To reduce the impact of pests, weeds and diseases, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development:

  • works with landholders, grower groups, community groups and biosecurity groups.
  • provides diagnostic services and information on prevention, management and treatment.
  • provides biosecurity and quarantine measures to prevent introduction, and to eradicate or manage current pests.

For advice on pests, weeds and diseases 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

  • Black house spide in its web, eating a chafer

    Common neighbourhood spiders

    11 December 2013

    There are many hundreds of species of spiders in Australia which play a beneficial role in our environment by eating insect pests.

  • Adults are 0.6 millimetres long, red-brown with distinctly longer forelegs

    Diagnosing brown wheat mite

    4 December 2013

    Brown wheat mite is an uncommon sap-sucking pest of cereals that is most active in dry warm weather.

  • Two spotted mite on a banana leaf in the ORIA

    Pest management of bananas in the ORIA

    26 February 2014

    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).

  • Hay storage

    Straw itch mites

    10 October 2013

    Severe skin itching in humans can be caused by bites from species of straw itch mite.

  • Reddish-grey, pie-shaped body, with red legs and two long forelegs

    Diagnosing bryobia mite

    14 February 2014

    Bryobia mite, also known as clover mite, is a sap-sucking pest of broadleaf crops and pastures, that can seriously damage canola especially where there has been a 'green bridge' consisting of clove

  • Red legged earth mite and Blue Oat mite

    Diagnosing mite damage in field peas

    23 April 2015

    Field peas are very susceptible to mite damage at the seedling stage.

  • Lupin cotyledons become thickened and silvered

    Diagnosing balaustium mite

    4 December 2013

    Balaustium mite is a sucking pest of crops. Crops usually outgrow damage unless stressed.

  • The red dot on its back distinguishes blue oat mite from redlegged earth mite.

    Diagnosing blue oat mite

    4 December 2013

    Blue oat mites (BOM) are sap-sucking pest of crops and pastures. Canola and peas are particularly susceptible. Often co-exists with redlegged earth mites.

  • Webbing visible from a heavy mite infestation on this strawberry crop

    Mite pests of strawberry crops

    14 January 2014

    The most common mite pest of strawberry crops is two-spotted mite (Tetranychus urticae), also known as spider mite or red-spider mite.

  • rust mite damage

    Mites in citrus

    10 October 2013

    Mites (Acari) are arthropods, a group that includes insects and spiders. Some mites are large enough to be visible to the naked eye while others can only be seen with a hand lens or microscope.

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