The Asian longhorned beetle, a wood-boring pest indigenous to China, has been found in industrial areas in Osborne Park and Wangara.
Department of Agriculture and Food chief plant biosecurity officer John van Schagen said the beetle had been removed and surveillance was underway around the property and another premise with trade links.
“There have been no further detections at this stage, providing a high level of confidence that this is a one-off detection,” he said.
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READ NOW“It is likely that the beetle has been a single hitchhiker in imported cargo, however it is not known where the beetle originated.”
The beetle usually targets a wide range of hardwood trees, with poplar and other deciduous trees considered as major hosts.
The potential effect of the Asian longhorned beetle on Australian native plants is not known.
“It is a distinctive looking beetle and we are urging businesses owners and residents in the Osborne Park and Wangara areas to be keep an eye out for this pest,” Mr van Schagen said.
An adult beetle is about 20 to 35 millimetres long and 7-12mm wide with a jet-black colour and white spots.
The antennae are black with whitish-blue bands.
The larvae are grub-like and can grow up to 50mm long.
Adults chew slits in the bark of their host plants to lay eggs and the developing larvae feed under the bark forming tunnels.
Evidence of larval infestations appears as chewed wood or frass that has been ejected from the tunnels.
Exit holes in timber are about finger width.
More information on the Asian longhorned beetle is available from www.agric. wa.gov.au.
If you suspect you may have found an Asian longhorned beetle, or borer holes in trees or on items such as pallets, phone the department’s Pest and Disease Information Service on 1800 084 881.