WSDA Holding Open House To Address Japanese Beetle

The Washington State Department of Agriculture will host an open house on Thursday, March 9th to address plans to eradicate the Japanese Beetle.  The open house is scheduled to run from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Grandview Library, 500 W. Main St. Grandview, WA 98930.  Those living in the infestation zone are encouraged to attend to learn about the proposed eradication and give consent to have their property treated free of charge.  WSDA will have English and Spanish-speaking representatives at the event to answer questions or take consent forms.

Eradication plans include using an insecticide to treat the properties in and around the infested area, including private property.  WSDA will seek permission from each property owner in the designated areas. Owners should have received a letter last month; a second letter is on its way for those who have not returned their forms yet.

WSDA plans to, pending funding, treat the properties in and around the infestation area. Representatives at the open house will detail more information on the proposed treatment plan.  Acelepryn, the product named in the proposed treatment plan, is a low-risk insecticide that is not hazardous to humans or domestic animals. Applicators spray the product to plant foliage or directly to lawns. The product can also be in a granular form, applied by seed spreader.

“Other Japanese beetle eradication projects across the Northwest have shown that a single application to the soil with the pesticide Acelepryn in late April or early May would be the best option,” Camilo Acosta, WSDA eradication project coordinator said. “There may be highly infested areas that will need a second application sprayed directly on the foliage of the plants.”

Agencies in Oregon, Idaho, California, and Utah have used this product for Japanese beetle eradication projects since 2009 and, in some cases, successfully and safely eradicated the pest.

WSDA officials are working on a permanent rule to replace the current emergency rule that recently expanded the quarantine adopted last year, prohibiting certain items from leaving the infested area. The items prohibited include those at most risk of transporting Japanese beetle.

WSDA will again set traps in Grandview and surrounding areas, checking for Japanese beetles. We will increase our trapping efforts, hanging 3,100 traps in the area and again inviting community members to hang traps and report their findings.

Visit WSDA's Website for updates and more information on this invasive pest.

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