Pests

The African Black Beetle (Heteronychus arator) is a native species of southern Africa that has found its way to the coastal regions of Western Australia since the 1930s. This beetle...

Origins of these pests are scattered across continents, including Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, Central America, the Caribbean, South America, and Oceania. Their introduction to Australia occurs through importing goods,...

Aphids, also known as greenfly and blackfly, are sap-sucking pests that damage crops, of the superfamily Aphidoidea. They undergo a unique life cycle, with flightless females giving live birth to...

Armyworms are caterpillar pests of grass pastures and cereal crops. They are the only caterpillars that growers are likely to encounter in cereal crops, although occasionally native budworm will also...

The larval stage of the La Plata Weevil, commonly referred to as the billbug, is identifiable by its legless, 'C'-shaped body that extends up to 10 mm in length. This...

Latin name: Coccus hesperidum Linnaeus The brown soft scale is a frequent pest that targets many indoor and greenhouse plants. Its range of hosts is diverse, from resilient fig trees...

Chilli thrips (Scirtothrips dorsalis) are found throughout the world and were first reported in north Western Australia about 20 years ago. Chilli thrips are sap-sucking insects that can cause deformities...

Crickets are insects of small to medium size characterized by their mostly cylindrical bodies that are somewhat flattened vertically. Their heads are round, equipped with long, thin antennae originating from...

Fungus gnats are tiny, ephemeral insects belonging to multiple families within the order Diptera, such as Sciaridae, Diadocidiidae, Ditomyiidae, Keroplatidae, Bolitophilidae, and Mycetophilidae, all classified under the Sciaroidea superfamily. These...

Grasshoppers belong to the Caelifera suborder and represent one of the earliest lineages of herbivorous insects that chew their food. Their history stretches back to the early Triassic period, approximately...

Locusts are large herbivorous insects that can be serious pests of agriculture due to their ability to form dense and highly mobile swarms. They are species of short-horned grasshoppers that...

Mealybugs (family Pseudococcidae) are oval-shaped, segmented, soft-bodied insects covered with white, mealy wax. They are often found between touching fruit, under the calyx or in the 'navels' of oranges, producing honeydew...

Fruit flies (family Tephritidae) attack a wide range of fruits and vegetables. In Western Australia (WA), Mediterranean fruit fly (Medfly, Ceratitis capitata) is a major problem for commercial orchardists and householders...

Millipedes belong to the myriapod invertebrate group. As a myriapod, millipedes have segmented bodies, many legs, antennae, and breathing holes called spiracles. Unlike centipedes, millipedes have two pairs of legs per body segment....

Psyllids are miniature insects that nourish themselves by sapping the fluids from leaves and their transport systems (xylem and phloem). While many psyllids display fidelity to a single host species,...

Mole cricket is a relatively minor pest of potato crops in Indonesia but not in Western Australia. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Western Australia has worked with...

Snails and slugs live in areas where abundant ground cover and vegetation provides ideal moisture levels and shelter. This is why they can be a problem on the edge of...

Mites of the Tetranychidae family (commonly known as spider mites) include some important pests of economic concern to agriculture and forestry. They feed on many fruit trees, vines, berries, vegetables and ornamental...

The sting or southern sting nematode (Ibipora lolii) is a tiny worm that causes discoloured patches on turfgrass and can be managed as described here. Even when fully grown, the...

Termites are classified under the Isoptera order, derived from the term 'equal wings'. Termites harbour numerous microorganisms in their digestive systems that help them break down cellulose, the primary substance...

Recent investigations in Western Australia have shown that white wax scale can be very effectively controlled by the application of white oil and of white oil-soda sprays.

Whiteflies, also known as snow flies (Aleyrodidae), are tiny insects that feed on plant sap and are commonly found on the underside of leaves. They belong to the same group...