How to ‘snap’ biosecurity suspects

We all know the golden rule that if you see something unusual, you should ‘catch it, snap it, report it’, but what makes a good pic?

Check out this great video from the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) on tips for taking photographs that the specialists can use for pest identification.

Reporting the unusual is a good thing. Pests and diseases can spread quickly between orchards and over large distances. The sooner we find out about something new, the more we can do to slow the spread and limit any impacts. Unwanted pests and diseases also pose a real threat to the country’s biosecurity and exports.

There are many ways to make a report, including over the phone - photos are usually the first thing requested for scientists to look at. The scientists will often be able to see from the photos if there is something to be concerned about.