Khapra Beetle Threat - What Tea Tree Producers Need to Know
National Pest Alert for the Tea Tree Industry
The Khapra beetle (Trogoderma granarium) is one of the world’s most destructive pests of stored plant material. While it does not attack live crops, its impact on stored products, packaging, and logistics systems is significant — and it remains a major biosecurity concern for Australia’s agricultural and plant-based industries, including tea tree oil producers.
What is the Khapra Beetle?
The Khapra beetle is a high-risk exotic pest that attacks dried and stored plant products such as grains, seeds, pulses, and dried botanicals.
It contaminates goods through larval skins, hairs, and debris, rendering them unsellable and extremely difficult to eradicate. Larvae can survive for months without food, often hiding in packaging, cracks, or shipping containers.
It is currently ranked as:
Australia’s #2 National Priority Plant Pest, and
the #1 pest threat to the grains sector.
Due to its resilience and potential impact, it is subject to strict import controls and emergency biosecurity measures across all states and territories.
Recent Detections and Government Response
In September 2025, Khapra beetle larvae were detected in imported nappy packaging in NSW.
Previous detections have involved toothbrushes, cloth goods, and packaging materials, showing that the pest can spread through packaging rather than agricultural commodities.
NSW and QLD classify Khapra beetle as a notifiable pest, meaning all suspected detections must be reported immediately.
In May 2025, the Australian Government introduced strengthened import treatment and declaration rules for high-risk containers and plant-based products.
Why It Matters for Tea Tree Growers
Although tea tree crops are not directly attacked, the tea tree oil industry could still be affected in several key ways:
Mulch risk: Harvesting and storage of dry biomass may provide harbourage if hygiene and segregation standards are not maintained.
Packaging and transport: Shared pallets, crates, or packaging can become contamination pathways.
Trade and regulation: An incursion could disrupt export documentation, inspections, and phytosanitary certification across related sectors, including essential oils.
Tea tree producers in NSW and QLD are encouraged to remain vigilant — particularly if operating alongside other agricultural industries or sharing logistics networks.
What You Should Do
Inspect storage and mulch areas regularly
Look for insect presence in mulch, sacks, bins, pallets, or packaging.
Signs include fine dust, shed larval skins, or small hairy larvae.Train staff and contractors
Adult beetles are tiny (2–3 mm, oval, brown).
Larvae are hairy, 1.6–5 mm long, and very mobile.
Photograph and report any suspect finds immediately.Maintain strict cleaning and hygiene protocols
Clear old mulch, packaging waste, and dust frequently.
Keep tea tree biomass and mulch stored separately from other goods.Use clean, certified packaging
Avoid reused or unverified packaging.
Request phytosanitary declarations for imported materials.Report anything suspicious
NSW: 1800 084 881 or biosecurity@dpi.nsw.gov.au
QLD: 13 25 23
Federal: Report via Report a Pest or Disease
Contact ATTIA for support
ATTIA can assist with pest identification, escalation, and coordinated communication across the industry.
Contact: ceo@attia.org.au
Further Reading and Resources
ATTIA’s Position
As the national body representing the Australian tea tree industry, ATTIA supports all national biosecurity measures designed to prevent pest incursions that could disrupt production, trade, or export.
Protecting the industry from high-risk pests like the Khapra beetle is essential to maintaining Australia’s reputation for safe, traceable, and high-quality tea tree oil.
For further guidance or assistance, contact ceo@attia.org.au.
