Innovation is in our DNA
The Biological Services story begins in 1971 when we established Australia’s first commercial insectary to curb the rising threat of Red Scale to the Citrus Industry.
Today, we offer Australia’s most comprehensive Integrated Pest Management service to growers, comprising:
- the largest range of products of the highest quality
- proven IPM programs to control key pests in a wide range of crops
- advice from our expert team of IPM Consultants, comprising qualified entomologists, horticulturalists and agronomists.
Together with our research and development, and collaborative client and industry partnerships, we strive to advance sustainable food production and future-proof pest control in Australian agriculture.
Our team is proud of the better outcomes we’re creating for growers, consumers and our environment through the work we do.
Our operations and insectaries
Our production and administrative operations are located with our insectaries in Muchea (Western Australia) and Loxton (South Australia).
We also rear our beneficial products and conduct research and development from these sites. We have recently partnered with BioResources, with additional beneficials being produced in their Queensland insectary.
We constantly strive to expand our product range and improve our packaging to make sure our products arrive in excellent condition and you can quickly and easily release them.
Our IPM Consultants are located in key growing regions across Australia to provide expert advice and local monitoring and pest control support.
Historical timeline
- 1960s
The Citrus Industry is seriously threatened by Red Scale and the South Australian and Victorian governments look to biocontrols as the solution. They identify Aphytis melinus as the biological option best suited to the region’s southern Mediterranean climate. - 1965
PIRSA builds Australia’s insectary for biological control in Loxton. - 1971
Ron and Beryl George begin rearing Aphytis melinus commercially. Within a few years this beneficial is achieving increased control of Red Scale compared to spraying alone. - 1987
James and Simone Altmann purchase Biological Services and expand our product range. They conduct research and development at the Loxton Research Centre, focussing on products for whitefly, aphids, thrips and Two-Spotted Mite. - 2010
Biological Services starts working with Lachlan Chilman at Manchil IPM sharing staff and other resources to give growers a full package of organisms for their crops and to assist with consultancy. Manchil IPM Services had been operating since 2002 with a strong initial focus on rearing Phytoseiulus persimilis to control Two-Spotted Mite in the Western Australian strawberry industry. - 2014
Manchil IPM and Biological Services merge to form Manchil Altmann Pty Ltd, trading as Biological Services. - 2021
Biological Services forms a new strategic alliance with Biobest Group NV, a global leader in biological control and pollination headquartered in Belgium. - 2021
BioResources and Biological Services join forces after many years of collaboration.
Get tailored advice for your commercial crop
To speak with one of our qualified consultants about your current commercial crop challenge or to learn about the benefits of the IPM maintenance and monitoring services we provide, contact us.
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