About PestFacts WA

Page last updated: Thursday, 8 June 2023 - 10:23am

PestFacts WA (formerly known as PestFax) is an interactive reporting service delivered by DPIRD, providing risk alerts, current information and advice on pests and diseases threatening crops and pastures throughout the grainbelt of Western Australia during each growing season. 

PestFacts WA is co-funded by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) under the IPMforGrains project.

Current and past issues of the PestFacts WA newsletter can be viewed online.

PestFacts WA service

PestFacts WA (formerly PestFax) is an interactive service covering diseases and pests threatening crops and pastures throughout the grainbelt of Western Australia.

Regular news updates during the growing season provides farmers with advice on what plant diseases and insect pests are currently posing a risk to their crops and pastures. To ensure you receive the PestFacts WA e-newsletter directly in your email, simply subscribe online through the PestFacts WA webpage. 

PestFacts WA has been operating since 1996, but was called PestFax prior to 2022. A large network of farmers, field agronomists, consultants and industry specialists provide weekly input into PestFacts WA. This interactive input ensures that the best diagnostic and control methods are recommended to farmers and industry.

To make a report, or request an identification, send a message to pestfactswa@dpird.wa.gov.au, use the online PestFax Map to make an online report or use the PestFacts WA Reporter app. The PestFax map is currently undergoing an upgrade - so watch this space!

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD)'s PestFacts WA team is the WA service provider for the GRDC co-funded IPMforGrains project.

IPMforGrains is delivered by the National Pest Information Network (Cesar Australia, DPIRD, QDAF, NSW DPI, and SARDI). It aims to provide grain growers and advisors with information on invertebrate grain pest occurrence and equip industry with the knowledge needed to implement integrated pest management practices. This initiative is a GRDC investment and includes in-kind contributions from all project partner organisations.

PestFax map

The PestFax map allows users to view maps of insect and disease reports over past weeks and years. It allows a review of reports to this service so users can compare seasonal variation between years, months or within any desired time period for pests and plant diseases. The PestFax map is currently being upgraded and a new PestFacts WA version will be launched soon.

PestFacts WA Reporter app

You can report crop pests and plant diseases directly from the paddock using the PestFacts WA Reporter app on your smart phone. For more information visit the PestFacts WA Reporter app page. The new PestFacts WA Reporter app can only be downloaded on Apple devices at the moment but it will be available for Android devices soon.

Insecticide spray charts

Documents that summarise registered insecticides for canola, lupins and cereals are available in the documents section on this page or at the Insecticide spray guides for crops in Western Australia page.

Webinars

2023

2022

2021

2020

I SPY: Insects of Southern Australian Broadacre Farming Systems Identification Manual and Education Resource

This book is a comprehensive resource manual for farmers and advisers covering basic taxonomy, important insect groups and identification keys, and descriptions of common species, as well as information on monitoring, integrated pest management (IPM) principles and biosecurity. To download the free manual visit GRDC’s Insects of Southern Australian Broadacre Farming Systems Identification Manual and Education Resource 2nd Edition.

Free insect identification

Having troubles identifying mites or other pests? Send in your digital pictures to the contacts below or send live specimens in a non-crushable plastic jar for free identification to Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, 444 Albany Hwy, Albany WA 6330, attention to Svetlana Micic.

Or you can also mail live specimens to Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, 75 York Road, Northam WA 6401, attention to Dusty Severtson.

Contact information

Cindy Webster
+61 (0)8 9881 0201
Alan Lord
+61 (0)8 9368 3758