The Good, The Bad, and the Bug-ly

Biosecurity risks to plants and horticulture production are not only exotic pests, but sometimes it’s often the diseases they carry. Asian Citrus Psyllid is an exotic pest to Australia, but most of the damage from this pest actually comes from a bacterium it carries, which has devastated overseas citrus industries. Biosecurity Manager with Citrus Australia, Dr Jessica Lye, joins us again to explain more about a program Citrus Australia runs and how it aims to keep Australia free of this pest and the disease it spreads in the latest ‘The Good, The Bad, and the Bug-ly’ episode. For more information visit the Urban Plant Health Network. If you see something unusual, call the Exotic Pest Plant Health line on 1800 084 881 or take a photo and upload it to the MyPestGuide Reporter.

The large earth bumblebee is exotic to mainland Australia but has been present in Tasmania since 1992. These large, furry, and loudly buzzing bees are ferocious foragers and experts are concerned about the impact these large bees could have on our native species of bees and other nectar eating wildlife. Agriculture Victoria invasive species analyst, Michael Whitehead, explains why the large earth bumblebee is not the kind of bee you want to hear buzzing around your garden, and what to do if you suspect you find one in the latest ‘The Good, The Bad, and the Bug-ly’ episode. For more information visit the Urban Plant Health Network or Agriculture Victoria. If you see something unusual, call the Exotic Pest Plant Health line on 1800 084 881 or take a photo and upload it to the MyPestGuide Reporter.

There are around 1,700 species of native bees that have been given names by scientists, but it is estimated there is as many as 2,000. Unlike European honeybees, native bees are mostly not social, preferring to live solitary lives, rather than in large swarms. With that many different native bee species, you may or may not have come across some in urban Melbourne. So how can you encourage these solitary native bees into your garden? Robert McDougall, research scientist with Cesar Australia, explains what some of the more common native bees look like and where they like to live, and how you can encourage them into your garden. For more information visit the Urban Plant Health Network . If you see something unusual, call the Exotic Pest Plant Health line on 1800 084 881 or take a photo and upload it to the MyPestGuide Reporter.

As the last major honey producing content that is free of the Varroa destructor mite, it’s important for the health of our honey bee populations that we keep it that way. But how do we protect our honey bees from pests and diseases that aren’t even here yet? If you are a beekeeper, you can help by becoming a honey bee pest warrior! Bee Biosecurity Officer with Agriculture Victoria, Ally Driessen, talks all things honeybees and biosecurity and how beekeepers can become honey bee pest warriors. Agriculture Victoria delivers the Victorian components of the National Bee Biosecurity Program (NBBP) and National Bee Pest Surveillance Program (NBPSP), and provides significant co-investment and expertise. Both of these programs are coordinated by Plant Health Australia (PHA) and funded by state and territory governments and Australian Honey Bee Industry Council (AHBIC) through their PHA levy. Hort Innovation provides significant investment to the NBPSP using research and development levies of horticultural industries. Other investment partners include Grains Producers Australia, the Victorian Honey Bee Compensation and Industry Development Fund and the Australian Government. For more information visit the Urban Plant Health Network or Agriculture Victoria. If you see something unusual, call the Exotic Pest Plant Health line on 1800 084 881 or take a photo and upload it to the MyPestGuide Reporter.

Red Imported Fire Ants are an invasive species of ants that can destroy crops and injure livestock, kill native flora and fauna, wreck infrastructure, and make community gatherings and weekend sports a thing of the past if left to infest the land. To top it off they are highly aggressive and pack a very nasty sting! Although exotic to Victoria, they have been causing a big problem in south-east Queensland, where they have found a perfect habitat with no predators and great weather. Biosecurity Queensland has been battling fire ants for the past twenty-years, and still believe that they can completely eradicate this pest. In this episode, Kate Retzki from the National Fire Ant Eradication Program explains more about the biggest eradication effort for an ant species in the world. For more information visit the Urban Plant Health Network or the National Fire Ant Eradication Program. If you see something unusual, call the Exotic Pest Plant Health line on 1800 084 881 or take a photo and upload it to the MyPestGuide Reporter.

A backyard garden ecosystem comprises of healthy plants and trees, and even includes insects. There are some bad bugs we don’t want in our gardens, but there are also a lot of good ones we want to encourage and, in some cases, actually need in our gardens. Dr Lizzy Lowe with Cesar Australia explains what these good bugs are and how they can be beneficial in your garden. For more information visit the Urban Plant Health Network. If you see something unusual, call the Exotic Pest Plant Health line on 1800 084 881 or take a photo and upload it to the MyPestGuide Reporter.

The Spotted Lanternfly is remarkable in colour and markings but is a very damaging exotic pest which has the capability of causing massive damage to not only our agriculture and horticulture industries but is also a problem pest for the general population as well. Olivia Reynolds from Cesar Australia describes what makes the Spotted Lanternfly so distinctive, and so destructive, and why it is important to ensure this pest doesn’t become established in Australia. For more information visit the Urban Plant Health Network and Botanic Gardens Biosecurity Network. If you see something unusual, call the Exotic Pest Plant Health line on 1800 084 881 or take a photo and upload it to the MyPestGuide Reporter.

Dr. Jessica Lye from Cesar Australia talks about the importance of protecting the Melbourne food bowl and how social capital is a key tool in spreading the word about what is unusual in your garden. For more information visit the Cesar Australia and Urban Plant Health Network If you see something unusual, call the Exotic Pest Plant Health line on 1800 084 881 or take a photo and upload it to the MyPestGuide Reporter.

Dr. Rosa Crnov, Chief Plant Health Officer with Agriculture Victoria talks about keeping Victoria’s plants safe from exotic pests and diseases. If exotic plant pests and diseases can be spotted and reported on earlier in urban areas, hopefully their spread can be stopped to rural areas. For more information visit the Urban Plant Health Network.

Callum Fletcher, Biosecurity Coordinator at AUSVEG takes a detailed look at the tomato potato psyllid. Callum discusses what the tomato potato psyllid does, what it looks like, and why you do not want to find these in your tomato or potato plants. For more information visit the Urban Plant Health Network.

Madeleine Quirk, Biosecurity Officer at AUSVEG discusses why everyone living in the cities can and should get involved in urban biosecurity. For more information visit the Urban Plant Health Network. If you see something unusual, call the Exotic Pest Plant Health line on 1800 084 881 or take a photo and upload it to the MyPestGuide Reporter.