Biosecurity Blitz19 October to 16 November The grass IS greenerThree more days to go before the Biosecurity Blitz 2020 ends! Monday 16 November is the last day of the Blitz, so make sure to get those reports in before it finishes. Check out the 30-Day Calendar of activities to see how you can catch pests before they make their great escape down the green highway! To bee or not to bee?Hey folks, it's Australian Pollinator Week! Taxonomy Australia and the Wheen Bee Foundation, is launching a campaign to discover and document all Australian native bees. Check out Taxonomy Australia's DiscoverBees for more information, and send in your bee reports. Can you find….. Large headed bees?Megachilidae are a family consisting of mostly solitary bees whose pollen-carrying structure (called a scopa) is restricted to the ventral surface of the abdomen (rather than mostly or exclusively on the hind legs as in other bee families). Large headed bees (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) All species feed on nectar and pollen, agitating the reproductive structures of flowers in an energetic and swimming-like manner to release large amounts of pollen. A few are kleptoparasites (also called "cuckoo bees") which feed on pollen collected by other megachilid bees. Parasitic species do not possess scopae. Short-tongued bees?Colletid bees eat and transport pollen and nectar in their stomachs rather than on hairs on the legs or bodies like other bees. There are several thousand species from this family. The females line their cells with a cellophane-like substance. The glossa (mouthpart) is short, usually truncate or bifid, and this wasp-like feature is the primary basis for considering the Colletidae to be the most primitive family of living bees. Blue banded bees?We have over 50 native Australian Amegilla species alone! Amegilla bees do not produce honey but are important pollinators of crops and wild plants. They are not aggressive but the females can sting in defense, although very rarely and the sting is mild and much less painful than that of a honey bee. Are you an orchard dupe? Lissopimpla excelsa, (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) Blue banded bees are best, Amegilla species (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Not quite bees?Ichneomonidae. Yes, you thought you were being duped because I’m not a bee…but this particular wasp fertilizes our native orchids Cryptostylis. Some particular bees we are on the lookout for, and hope you don’t find, are on the Federal priority list of exotic organisms, released just this week! Did you rise to the challenge?Thanks to all that have taken part in the Biosecurity Blitz School Challenge, especially these participating schools: Boyup Brook Early Learning Centre Year 1 Keep up the great work - there's still time to participate in some of our Biosecurity Blitz activities! Teachers - make sure to check out lesson plans to see how you can incorporate biosecurity topics into your classes. The clock is ticking!Thanks to all that participated in the 30-Day Challenge! The epic adventure is almost over - to be eligible for the 30-Day Challenge prize, make sure all of your reports are submitted and your passport is filled in and returned to us by 5:00pm Monday (16 November). To return the passport, click the button below or email mypestguide@dpird.wa.gov.au. Paddock to plateProtecting ourselves from weeds and diseases is vital to ensuring the health of our environment and food production industries. Help us celebrate the International Year of Plant Health 2020 and help promote worldwide awareness and action! Pests on the Lucerne This is tagasaste or tree lucerne, Cytisus proliferua (Fabales: Fabaceae - Papilionaceae). It is a native to the Canary Islands. Introduced as a fodder plant to Australia in 1879 it has become an environmental weed. Weed found growing on vacant land in Caversham, WA. Tagasaste or tree Lucerne (Fabales: Fabaceae - Papilionaceae) The ant detected on this weed appears to be a Saint Valentine ant, Crematogaster sp. (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) which is an ecologically diverse genus of ants found worldwide, characterised by a cute heart-shaped ‘gaster’ or abdomen. Ants in this genus are also known as cocktail ants because of their habit of raising their abdomens when alarmed….’bottoms up’ folks! A very efficient biological control agent of Broom is the tree lucerne caterpillar, which also feeds on various Fabaceae plants and it too can be an agricultural pest on commercial legumes, but in this case it is acting as a beneficial. Caterpillar of the Tree Lucerne Moth, Uresiphita ornithopteralis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) Spot the virusYou may have heard enough about viruses recently due to a certain notable coronavirus, but viruses don't only affect animals. Viral plant pathogens can be a real problem for growers. They can cause yield reduction and the production of misshapen or discoloured fruit and vegetables that are rejected for market. This is wasteful, especially when produce is still fit for consumption. Lettuce with big vein disease In the paddock, severely affected lettuce have crinkled leaves and fail to form heads. Mildly infected lettuce is often evident in stores and is fine to eat. Interestingly, LBVD causing viruses are spread by a soil-borne fungus, Olpidium virulentis. Lettuce big vein disease (LBVD) is caused by a complex of two viruses, Lettuce big-vein associated virus (LBVaV) and Mirafiori lettuce big-vein virus (MLBVV). When held up to the light, affected leaves appear to have ‘wide veins’; this is the result of chlorophyll clearing by viruses. Leopard slug on lettuce with normal veins This fungus persists in the soil and allows for the transfer of the viruses to the roots of uninfected lettuce plants. Disposal of leaves and soil from infected lettuce can spread this virus between locations. Learn about how these can be spread by checking out our activities. Who’s eating my leaves?Grapevine moth caterpillar, Phalaenoides glycinae (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) This striking caterpillar will turn into an attractive black and white, day-flying moth that feeds on the pollen and nectar of Hibbertia spp., grape vines, Fuchsia spp., Epilobium spp and evening primroses, Onagraceae. The caterpillars are a minor pest in agricultural areas and easily recognised by the red band on their bum! A predator such as a bird might mistake the red end for the head, and being larger, may even be repelled by it or at least divert their attention from the more vital head. This solitary Australian Giant grasshopper is another leaf feeder. The type specimen is preserved in the Natural History Museum in London, and was collected by the British entomologist Francis Walker who first described it in 1870 from NSW and QLD. Giant Australian Grasshopper or Hedge Grasshopper, Valanga irregularis (Orthoptera: Acrididae) on Christmas Island It was first detected on Christmas Island in 2011. How do you think it got there? Location of the Giant Australian Grasshopper report These grasshoppers exhibit a wide range of colours and patterns but consistently have black antenna and their hind tibia have red spines with black tips. Commonly found across Northern Australia they can occasionally be a pest in nurseries and plantations, as well as in home gardens. Another Giant Australian Grasshopper, Valanga irregularis (Orthoptera: Acrididae), found in WA Insecticides and chemicals are not effective so the best control method is hand removal. Remember to wear strong gardening gloves as the spines are sharp and individuals can bite. Cold temperatures can kill them. However, on Christmas Island the dominant prey item for the Nankeen Kestrel Falco cenchroides is Valanga irregularis. Our human transport networks are highly inter-connected resulting in the movement of pest problems in one place to another place, when people or products are moved. These two species are minor pests now but as they spread further who really knows what the outcome will be? Acknowledgement of CountryWe respect and honour Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on this land and commit to building a brighter future together. Always was, always will beNAIDOC reminds us relationships with the land are essential to the identity of many indigenous Australians. Learn more about the ecology of Australia by examining the differences in each of these seasonal calendars and compare with what you know about the seasons. What’s your own understanding of seasonal changes in plants and animals? How do we utilise these 'resources' but still continue to respect the land and preserve it for generations? Want to learn more?In WA, check out King’s Park education programs or take part in a cultural experience to learn more about the Noongar culture and how they show respect to the land. In NSW, Victoria, South Australia, the Northern Territory and Tasmania you will find tours to learn about the many different indigenous nations and cultures, and their perspectives on the land. National SnapshotYour Blitz picsRemember you can always view all Biosecurity Blitz reports on the MyPestGuide community website. So far 2646 observations have been sent in from around Australia! Coming up...Only 3 more days to go - remember to send in those reports! 30-Day Challenge participants make sure to collate your passports and send it to us by Monday 16th, 5pm! Next week we'll send you the results of the Biosecurity Blitz 2020, so keep your eyes peeled for our newsletter, with the best reports of the Blitz! Important disclaimer The Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and the State of Western Australia accept no liability whatsoever by reason of negligence or otherwise arising from the use or release of this information or any part of it. Copyright © Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, 2020 |