Western Farmer-Stockman Logo

Spraying in Yakima and Benton counties to start Monday, May 2.

April 29, 2022

2 Min Read
WFP-ODA-japanese-beetle-damage.jpg
Flowers and foliage are devoured by the voracious Japanese beetle.Oregon Department of Agriculture

The Washington State Department of Agriculture plans to begin treatments to eradicate the Japanese beetle infestation this Monday, May 2. In total, WSDA plans to treat around 2,000 acres in Grandview and surrounding areas of Yakima and Benton counties.

WSDA sent consent forms earlier this month to more than 4,000 properties in the area to obtain permission to apply insecticide to private properties in the infested area. Those in the treatment area who have not yet provided consent are urged to visit agr.wa.gov/beetles as soon as possible to provide consent online. Treatment is provided at no charge to residents.

WSDA has contracted with Senske Services™ to apply the insecticide. WSDA staff will also be in the field monitoring the treatment progress and seeking to obtain consent forms at properties which have not yet responded to the agency’s requests for permission to treat.

Acelepryn, the product being used to treat the area, is a low-risk insecticide that is not hazardous to humans or domestic animals.  Licensed applicators will apply this product to plant foliage or directly to the soil. The product also comes in a granular form, which is applied to the soil by seed spreader.

Related: Public can review Japanese beetle documents

Last year, WSDA caught more than 24,000 Japanese beetles, a highly invasive pest that eats more than 300 different plants including roses, grapes, and hops. Adult beetles damage plants by skeletonizing the foliage while grubs overwinter and feed on lawns, often killing the grass. If left to reproduce and spread, the beetles would pose a serious threat to farms, gardens, and the environment of Washington state.

In addition to treatment, WSDA will set traps to continue to monitor the location of Japanese beetle in the area. The agency is also in the process of considering a quarantine of the infested area to limit the spread of the pest. Progress on the quarantine rule making process is on our website’s rulemaking page.

Visit agr.wa.gov/beetles for more information about the project or contact WSDA at [email protected] or 1-800-443-6684.

Source: Washington State Department of Agriculture, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.

Subscribe to receive top agriculture news
Be informed daily with these free e-newsletters

You May Also Like