Urban Plant Health Network

Healthy Plants, Healthy Future

Our activity book will get your kids learning about "bad bugs" to look out for

Look out for this citrus pest at your place as part of the bigger picture

Busy, busy bees: Honey is only part of the picture

Looking out for the brown marmorated stink bug

Keep an eye out for the tomato potato psyllild

Keep those backyard beehives free of disease

published - 1 April 2020
By Jo Chong Wah and Pippa Auld (Agriculture Victoria)

Our activity book will get your kids learning about “bad bugs” to look out for

It’s a really challenging time, with all of us in self isolation for COVID-19. Parents are working from home and kids are out of school. Are you struggling to find something fun and interesting for your kids to do while you work? Well – never fear! We are here to …
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ACP, activity, asian citrus psyllid, asian honey bee, bad bugs, bee, BMSB, brown marmorated stink bug, bug, citrus, detect, exotic, garden, glassy-winged sharpshooter, honey, Huanglongbing, kids, pest, pest warrior, psyllid, red imported fire ant, spotted wing drosophila

Resources, What bug is that?

Amegilla cingluata - Blue Banded Bee Image credit: Erica Siegel

published - 21 January 2020
By Dr Jessica Lye (cesar)

Busy, busy bees: Honey is only part of the picture

Amegilla cingulata – Blue-banded bee. Image credit: Erica Siegel
If I were to ask you what a native Australian bee looks like, what would you say?
To give you a hint, there is no clear answer! In Australia we have over 1600 species of native bees, and they are as varied in …
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amegilla, bee, honey, native bee, pollination, pollinator, urban, varroa, varroa mite

Uncategorized

published - 30 December 2019
By Jeff Milne (Citrus Australia)

Look out for this citrus pest at your place as part of the bigger picture

Citrus trees in backyards and orchards in the USA are being killed by a small bug called the Asian Citrus Psyllid (ACP). We want to keep it out of Australia – but we need your help!
The ACP is a small (3-4mm) sap-sucking bug that resembles a small cicada. It can …
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ACP, asian citrus psyllid, biosecurity, citrus, exotic, greening, HLB, Huanglongbing, lemon, lime, orange, pest, psyllid

What bug is that?

published - 19 December 2019
By Maddy Quirk (AUSVEG)

Keep an eye out for tomato potato psyllid

The tomato potato psyllid (TPP) is a small sap-sucking insect and a serious pest of tomato, potato, chilli, capsicum, eggplant, tamarillo, sweet potato and weeds such as nightshades and boxthorn.
TPP is native to North America, but is also found in Central America. It was first found in New Zealand in …
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biosecurity, exotic, pest, potato, psyllid, Tomato

Uncategorized, What bug is that?

published - 1 November 2019
By Jess Lye (cesar)

Urban plant biosecurity – understanding emerging risks, supporting resilient cities and safeguarding rural industry

Urban growth is critically linked to biosecurity risk, however the extent of this risk is not well understood and efforts to engage urban dwellers in biosecurity best practices are few. Ninety percent of Australian residents live in urban areas, mostly on the Eastern seaboard. For such a heavily urbanised society, …
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biosecurity, city, disease, pest, plant, resilient, risk, urban

Protect your patch, Uncategorized

Exotic pests and diseases can hitchhike in cargo from trading and travel

published - 30 October 2019
By Lana Russell (Agriculture Victoria)

How do pests and diseases get into Australia and how can we detect them?

Historically, our country has been protected by its geographic isolation, which means Australia is free today of many of the pests and diseases common to other countries.
However, as Australia becomes more connected to the world through increasing trade and international passenger movements we will become progressively more reliant on good …
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biosecurity, detect, disease, incursion, pest

Protect your patch, Uncategorized

published - 25 October 2019
By Madeleine Quirk (AUSVEG)

Why urban gardeners should care about Australia’s biosecurity

Australia has a world-class biosecurity system and natural barriers that protect us from exotic pests and diseases, which allows our agriculture industries to thrive. But global trends supporting increased trade and travel makes managing biosecurity threats coming into Australia increasingly difficult. In 2018, there were 21.1 million international travellers coming …
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biosecurity, city, community, disease, garden, gardener, pest, plant, urban

Uncategorized

published - 2 October 2019
By Agriculture Victoria

Look out for the brown marmorated stink bug this spring

The brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) is an insect that feeds on fruits and vegetables and over winter shelters inside homes and buildings, vehicles, machinery and sheds.
BMSB produces a very unpleasant odour when it’s disturbed or squashed – hence the term ‘stink bug’.
Originally from eastern Asia, this pest it is …
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biosecurity, BMSB, brown marmorated stink bug, bug, detect, garden, pest, urban

Uncategorized, What bug is that?

If you see anything unusual , call the exotic plant pest hotline 1800 084 881

published - 1 October 2019
By Lana Russell (Agriculture Victoria)

Reporting unusual plant pests or diseases

Have you spotted an unusual plant pest or disease?
You can report these to the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline -1800 084 881.
Calls within Victoria will be diverted to Agriculture Victoria. This Hotline is answered 0800 – 1800 Monday to Friday within Victoria. Please leave a message if you phone …
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disease, exotic, pest, plant, report

Home, Protect your patch, Resources, What bug is that?, What plant disease is that?, Where to go for help

published - 1 October 2019
By Jo Chong Wah (Agriculture Victoria) and Jeff Milne (Citrus Australia)

Do you have citrus gall wasp in your garden?

Citrus gall wasp (Bruchophagus fellis) affects all types of citrus across Australia. The wasp produces lumpy, woody galls around their larvae on branches. The galls weaken the trees, making them produce less fruit and sometimes causing branch dieback.
Urban gardeners are encouraged to act now to stop the spread of this …
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citrus, gall, garden, lemon, lime, orange, urban, wasp

Uncategorized, What plant disease is that?

published - 2 September 2019
By Jo Chong Wah (Agriculture Victoria)

Welcome to the Urban Plant Health Network

Urban and community gardeners of Greater Melbourne, this is your network!
The Urban Plant Health Network connects you with industry and government experts to help you identify and manage exotic plants pests and diseases in your home and community gardens.
All gardeners should keep their gardens clean and free of plant pests, …
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biosecurity, city, community, disease, garden, pest, urban

Home, Resources, Where to go for help

published - 2 September 2019
By Jo Chong Wah (Agriculture Victoria) and Nikki Jones (Agriculture Victoria)

Keep those backyard beehives free of disease

With spring upon us, backyard beekeepers should be preparing to conduct inspections and maintenance on their hives.
Beekeepers have an important role to play in protecting their honey bees and the entire honey bee industry from the spread and impact of established pests, as well as the possible entry and establishment …
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AFB, american foulbrood, apiarist, apiary, bee, beehive, honey, varroa, varroa mite

Uncategorized, What bug is that?