Farmers in Southeast Western Australia are losing ground to an implacable invader. This invasive threat has ruined their crops for the past four years. Anson borough farmer Tom Dunham has incurred losses in the six figures. Their activity as larvae, or “cockchafers,” is the culprit. For Dunham, it’s an emergency and very personal situation. This pest first invaded his farm ten years ago. Its harmful presence has increased, leading to complete loss of over 40 hectares of crops in the last few seasons.
Dunham shared his dismay about the economic burden this pest has imposed on his family farm with the committee. He stated, “It’s costing us every year to varying degrees and we’re losing a fair bit at the moment.” He has explored various control methods, including chemicals and adjustments to seeding rates, but acknowledged that none have proven effective. We absolutely got to that tipping point that we needed to, like, re-tool enough that we could roll with the punches. Nothing was the magic solution like it used to be,” he continued.
Pest’s Impact on Local Agriculture
The cockchafer has not only wiped out Dunham’s farm, but those of others in the area as well. Ashton Gray, who formerly worked as an agronomist, reflected on the catastrophic effect his 2024 season would have. He noted that this last year has been particularly harmful. “Last year was a real eye-opener of the devastation the cockchafer can do. We ended up having 30 to 40 hectares of entire wipe-out in an area,” Gray stated.
The time to act is now as this pest is already causing overwhelming economic devastation. It’s been reported that farms have already experienced tens of thousands of dollars in crop losses. In one instance, almost 100 tonnes of grain stock were lost from just one paddock as a result of pest activity. This long-standing problem has definitely raised the awareness of farmers and researchers, leading them to demand urgent action.
Research and Solutions Underway
In response, the Council of Grain Grower Organisations (COGGO) is moving quickly by supporting field trials. These experimental trials are currently in action on three of the farms that suffered losses. Department of Agriculture scientists are joining with Murdoch University. They’re doing genetic sequencing on problematic specimens to get a better sense of which species of cockchafer it is. Dusty Severtson, a researcher involved in this effort, explained, “Department researchers are working with Murdoch University to DNA-sequence samples to identify the species, or perhaps multiple species, at a molecular level.”
It’s important to know just what species you are dealing with so that you can create the most effective strategies for pest management,” added Severtson. He remarked, “This will give us a better understanding of the number of species we are dealing with and to characterise or barcode new or unknown species being found in crops.” The research team will focus on determining the best insecticide options and product placements to fight the infestation where it is most effective.
Ben Whisson, another researcher involved in the project, stated, “We’re trying to find grower-ready strategies that can be used instantly.” He accepted that it’s not easy, but that is why exploring different insecticide combinations is crucial to ensure effective solutions. We’re looking at a lot of different insecticide formulations. We’re experimenting with product placements and combinations to find the best angle to take,” Whisson said.
Growing Awareness and Community Response
This process in turn has raised farmers’ awareness of the cockchafer’s full territorial scope thanks to the ongoing and persistent damage dealt. Dunham noted that more people are beginning to wake up to just how bad the crisis is. In doing so, they are moving beyond considering it as an isolated issue. On that point, he stressed the need for broader advocacy. He welcomed that more consumers are recognizing this trend as a national issue rather than a regional one.
Farmers are fighting hay and fruit crop losses from this unstoppable scourge. Addressing this issue will require researchers, agronomists, and growers to work together on the best ways to control this pest while ensuring the viability of agricultural livelihoods within Western Australia’s southeast.
