Washington state agriculture officials have asked residents to be on the lookout for the Japanese beetle, an invasive and destructive pest that threatens apples, grapes, hops, turf grass and close to 300 other plants.

The state sets traps for the beetle each year and usually finds them at ports and other entryways, but last year the state Department of Agriculture issued an alert after finding several in Sunnyside and Grandview -- far inland. On March 1, a Grandview resident told officials that Japanese beetles devoured her roses last summer, the WSDA reported.

To help determine the extent of the spread, the state asks residents to report all suspected sightings, even those from last year, online at agr.wa.gov/beetles, by emailing [email protected], or calling 1-800-443-6684.

“Last year’s Asian giant hornet project proved that the public can play a game-changing role in detecting and eradicating invasive species,” said Sven Spichiger, WSDA managing entomologist. “Japanese beetle poses every bit as much of a threat to farms and gardens as the Asian giant hornet. This is another case where the public can have a profound impact on the success of this detection and eradication project by reporting what they see in their communities.”

The WSDA and Washington State University are hosting a free webinar on the beetle at 9 a.m. April 1. Visit agr.wa.gov/beetles to register or for more information about Japanese beetles.