Australia produces a significant volume of cereals for human consumption and animal feed to supply local and export markets.

Wheat is the most important crop by far, followed by barley, and oats. Other cereal crops are sweetcorn, maize, sorghum, millet, triticale, and rice.

Cereals are affected by aphids, caterpillars and a range of spider mites. Many pests can be managed with biological controls.

• Aphids are sporadic pests in cereal crops. They can reduce yield, cause plant death and transmit many cereal viruses. The most important species are the Oat/Cereal Aphid (Rhopalosiphum padi), Corn Leaf Aphid (Rhopalosiphum maidis) and the Russian Wheat Aphid (Diuraphis noxia). Aphids can be controlled with parasitic wasps Aphidius colemani (Colemani), Aphidius ervi (Ervi), Aphelinus abdominalis (Aphelinus) and Diaeretiella rapae (Diaeretiella), and generalist predators such as ladybirds, and Green Lacewings.
• Caterpillars (loopers & heliothis) affect grain crops in different parts of Australia and many can be controlled by Trichogramma pretiosum (Trichogramma).
• Two-Spotted Mite can be controlled with Neoseiulus californicus (Californicus) and Phytoseiulus persimilis (Persimilis).

Natural enemies of these pests are likely to be active in nature strips along the borders of crops. However, it is  important that you control any weeds along the borders that may act as pest hosts.