WA preparing to eradicate invasive Japanese Beetles from thousands of properties

The Washington Department of Agriculture is stepping in to eradicate invasive Japanese Beetles, which are affecting thousands of property owners throughout the state.

According to The Washington State Standard, the agriculture department is asking approximately 17,600 property owners in central and eastern Washington to allow crews to treat their yards with insecticide. The property owners are expected to receive letters from the Department of Agriculture asking for consent to use the pesticide, which will come free of cost for any properties within the targeted area.

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“We’re looking for 100% participation,” Sven Spichiger, pest program manager at the state Department of Agriculture, told the Washington State Standard. “If property owners don’t allow treatment, the beetle will establish here permanently, resulting in expensive quarantines and trade restrictions for our farmers and an endless battle with beetle infestations for homeowners.”

This insecticide, called Acelepryn, poses a very low concern for human health, according to the Washington State Department of Health, as the active ingredient has not been found to cause allergic reactions. No symptoms or illness have been reported following applications of Acelepryn in Washington or Oregon.

It also poses no risk to mammals, birds or fish.

Japanese beetles don’t bite or spread diseases to people, but they do pose a threat to plants and crops, including hops, roses and grapes. According to the Department of Agriculture, the bugs can quickly spread in yard waste, purchased plants, infested sod or gardening soil.

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Three of the beetles were detected in Grandview, Washington in 2020, but in the following year, more than 24,000 were trapped in the area. Beetle numbers climbed in 2024, with the Washington State Department of Agriculture Pest Program collecting more than 26,700, up from 19,655 in 2023, according to the Washington State Standard.

“We need the community to come together and get their yards treated if we hope to stand a chance of eradicating this beetle,” Spichiger said.

Frank Sumrall is a content editor at MyNorthwest and producer of the Seattle Seahawks podcast, The Reset with Gee Scott. You can read his stories here and you can email him here.