March Update for Japanese Beetle in Yakima, Benton and Franklin Counties
In the last several years Japanese Beetle has been detected and spreading in our local area. The Washington State Department of Agriculture has been working on educating the public, trapping and eradicating this pest. Like last year, they are offering free treatments in the identified areas like the above picture of Pasco and Kennewick as well as the Grandview, Wapato and Sunnyside communities.
Why is Japanese Beetle Bad?
Japanese Beetle is a pest with a voracious appetite for agriculture crops like grapes, hops, apples, cherries, peaches, corn and nursery stock. For the home garden they enjoy roses, backyard crops, fruit trees, many shrubs and the lawn. If it establishes itself in farms and nurseries, then those companies will have to do special treatments and get certifications in order to move their products out of the treatment or quarantine areas. This would raise the costs of those items and could lead to higher prices or the closure of those businesses.
What can be done?
If you are in a treatment area in Yakima, Benton or Franklin Counties, give consent to let the WSDA have a licensed applicator apply a larvicide to your property. This will kill the larva beetles before they emerge from the soil as adults and begin to multiply.
If you see an adult or think you do, report it.
Don't remove sod, soil or plants from a treatment area. That's how it spreads to unaffected areas.
If you live in the treatment areas, they should have or will be sending a post card with a PIN number that you use to sign up for treatment. If you lost your PIN, can call 1-800-443-6684 or email pest@agr.wa.gov.
For more info here are some links.
How to Identify Japanese Beetle