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

Previous Pause Next

Articles

  • Cabbage white butterfly caterpillar

    Diagnosing cabbage white butterfly

    14 February 2014

    Larvae of cabbage white butterfly are often found in canola crops. The larvae consume leaves but numbers are very rarely high enough to cause serious damage to the crop.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Root lesion and burrowing nematodes: diagnosis and management

    10 December 2013

    Nematodes can feed on root tissues of a wide range of plant species and lead to root damage which can result in significant crop yield loss.

  • 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

Pages

Filter by search

Filter by topic