A hitchhiker (or contaminating) pest is one that can ‘hitch a ride’ into the country. They come in on containers, goods or travellers’ luggage on ships and aircraft. They can also arrive on cargo such as cars, tyres or machinery.
These pests can remain hidden and undetected for a long time. This allows them to enter new countries, establish and spread.
The National Hitchhiker (Contaminating) Plant Pest Action Plan 2022–2032 is a nationally agreed approach to:
- prevent the introduction of hitchhiker pests
- prepare for a response if detected in Australia.
Success of the plan depends on collaboration between stakeholders. These include:
- importers
- shipping businesses
- agricultural industries
- all levels of government
- non-government organisations
- individuals, experts and research agencies.
National Hitchhiker (Contaminating) Plant Pest Action Plan 2022-2032
What it covers
The National Hitchhiker (Contaminating) Plant Pest Action Plan covers these pests:
Spongy moth
- Lymantria dispar asiatica, Lymantria dispar dispar, Lymantria dispar japonica, Lymantria monachal
Brown marmorated stink bug
- Halyomorpha halys
Exotic bees
- Apis cerana (exotic), Apis dorsata, Apis florea, Apis mellifera capensis, Apis mellifera scutellate, Apis mellifera scutellata (hybrid)
Exotic invasive snails
- Achatina fulica, Monacha spp., Massylaea spp., Pomacea canaliculate, Caracollina lenticula
Internal and external mites of bees
- Acarapis woodi, Tropilaelaps clareae, Tropilaelaps mercedesae, Varroa jacobsoni, Varroa destructor
Spotted lantern fly
- Lycorma delicatula (emerging pest)
Pest and disease details
Implementation schedule
Each national action plan has an implementation schedule for actions and projects.
The National Hitchhiker (Contaminating) Plant Pest Action Plan involves more than 50 projects and business-as-usual activities.
Hitchhiker (Contaminating) Plant Pest Implementation Schedule 2023
Action areas
The National Hitchhiker (Contaminating) Plant Pest Action Plan focuses on these 4 action areas:
- prevention
- detection
- response
- cross-cutting, which contains actions that fit into 2 or more of the first 3 areas.
Projects and activities
Examples of projects and activities include:
- pest risk assessments
- review of sea and air freight containers as pathways for entry
- investing in automatic surveillance scanning technology
- improving tracking of goods and shipping containers.
Activities are reviewed annually and progress is documented.
Research highlight
eDNA detection of hitchhiker pests
Every living thing leaves traces of DNA in their surrounding environment. This is known as environmental DNA (eDNA). It can be harnessed to determine what species are present in a particular place at a particular time.
University of Canberra researchers have developed and validated eDNA tests for:
- Asian spongy moth
- Brown marmorated stink bug
- Khapra beetle
- Electric ant
- Red imported fire ant
- Spotted lantern fly (emerging hitchhiker pest).
This will make it easier to detect these pests in sea containers and other places
Image credit: University of Canberra
Completed projects
Area: Detection
- Detecting brown marmorated stink bug
- Biosecurity molecular screening using eDNA
- Detecting exotic bee mites.
Area: Response
Get involved
Are you a researcher, industry member or interested person? If you’d like to get involved email us at plantpestpreparedness@aff.gov.au.
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