New app to help stamp out pests

THE public is being asked to help the Department of Agriculture and Food with the reporting and detection of exotic pests using the department's new pest identification and reporting app, MyPestGuide.

Community awareness and the use of the app are expected to help limit the harm pests can cause the agrifood sector and environment.

The app was launched last August and a member of the public has already used it to help detect a potential palm tree pest, found in the Perth suburb of Mount Hawthorn.

Department taxonomist Andras Szito identified the insect as a male palm planthopper which had the potential to cause damage by sucking out the tree sap and transmitting palm diseases.

Department director of plant biosecurity, John van Schagen, said community awareness about exotic pests helped stop them getting established in WA because they were detected earlier.

"We encourage local government officers and members of the community to report all sightings of unusual insects to the department, as this assists our surveillance activities," he said.

The MyPestGuide app was developed by the department in conjunction with the Council of Grain Growers Organisations and was initially designed to target grain pests.

It has since been expanded to enable users to report any unusual insects to the department.

MyPestGuide app can be downloaded for free.