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In PestFacts Issue No. 5 there was numerous reports of slaters attacking cereals in the Moree area, in the North West Slopes and Plains district of NSW. Specimens from two separate properties were collected and sent for identification. Dr Buz Wilson (Australian Museum) has identified the slaters as Australiodillo bifrons (Budde-Lund, 1885), which is an endemic species of Australia. This identification was also confirmed by leading taxonomists from Italy.
Agronomist, Sarah Gleenie (Cotton Growers Services), says slaters are still present within cereal crops around Moree, however, either no or minimal feeding damage can be seen. Although slaters have not previously been considered a pest of broad-acre crops, the cases reported in PestFacts-southeastern are not isolated. Early this year, Peter Mangano (Department of Agriculture, WA) received reports of slaters causing damage to canola plants in WA, while in South Africa slaters are reported to attack lupin and canola crops.
Very little is known about A. bifrons. Adults are approximately 7-8mm long and 4mm wide. They are oval shaped and have a flattened body, with light coloured legs. The body is light brown in colour, with a dark brown head and dark brown marking down the middle. Photos of A. bifrons can be obtained by contacting Paul Umina.
A. bifrons have been found in many parts of eastern Australia, including NSW (Murray-Darling basin), Northern Territory, Queensland (Lake Eyre Basin, N Gulf, NE coastal) and Victoria (Murray-Darling basin). If you hear of any news or observe slaters attacking crops please send your reports directly to Paul Umina and/or advise your local agronomist.
What is PestFacts?
PestFacts south-eastern keeps growers and advisers informed about invertebrate pests and beneficials in broadacre crops and pastures during the winter-cropping season in Victoria and southern New South Wales.
PestFacts south-eastern is run through IPMforGrains: Best Practice Insect Pest Management, a project delivered by the National Pest Information Network (cesar, DPIRD, QDAF, NSW DPI, and SARDI). This project 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.
We need your reports
PestFacts is produced on an ʻas-needsʼ basis and relies upon pest observations and field reports from our subscribers. If you have recently observed invertebrate pests (or beneficial species) in broadacre crops, please contact us to report your observations.
Agricultural invertebrate identification
If you are a grower or agronomist in Victoria or NSW working with broadacre crops or pastures, we can assist you with identifying invertebrates found on farms at no cost. Please contact us for identification help.
PestFacts map
PestFacts map is an interactive tool that allows users to search and view historical pest reports across Victoria and NSW. The map is updated with each issue of PestFacts to include new reports.
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With appropriate acknowledgement, cesar grants permission to reproduce information taken directly from PestFacts. To cite PestFacts: “PestFacts south-eastern (<<enter date published>>). cesar pty ltd.”
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