Tri-Cities, WA- — Annual efforts have begun to treat the invasive Japanese Beetles, right here in Pasco.
In fact, multiple homes have already received their treatment today, April 15, 2025.
Japanese Beetles, an insect South Central Washingtonians are all too familiar with since their detection in 2020.
Three were found in Grandview and Sunnyside that year, that number has since risen to just under 27,000 last year.
The Washington State Department of Agriculture has noticed how destructive the beetles can be.
“The adults, they consume over 350 species of plants. They really don’t care what they eat, but the larvae or grubs are not innocent. They also attack the roots of turf grass and other ornamentals. On top of that, they attract predators like raccoons, skunks, crows,” said Camilo Acosta, Japanese Beetle Eradication Coordinator with W.S.D.A.
W.S.D.A. now has an eradication program operating in multiple areas, including Pasco, to try to kill off the pests.
“Starting in 2022 when we started spraying with a licensed contractor areas in Grandview, Sunnyside, and then we saw it spread to here in Pasco, and also in Wapato, so those are the three main areas we’re operating in at this point,” said Acosta.
The spray, an insecticide called Acelepryn, only takes a few minutes for the average yard and is human, pet, and bird safe.
Mark Dade, a homeowner in Pasco, signed up to get his treatment after noticing missing sections of grass in his yard.
Come to find out, the larvae were eating the roots.
“When they started this program, I immediately jumped on it so we could show people, our yard is pretty average in Pasco, so it’s a good one to show people what can be done, and what you need to do, and to prepare for it. But, this is something we have to do around here, it can hurt a lot of the crops, it really is important that we take care of this,” said Dade.
And as for preparations, residents have to clear the lawn of items, keep gates unlocked or open, and keep pets inside.
The treatment is pet safe, but they cannot be outdoors until the spray has dried, which usually takes a couple hours.
“I just think everybody ought to get on board and take care of this problem, it can grow really quick, and we live in a tight community here. Hopefully one neighbor will tell another neighbor, tell another neighbor,” said Dade.
Treatment is free and it’s not too late to sign up.
Consent forms and PIN numbers were mailed to folks in the treatment area earlier in the year, but you can give your consent online.
You can do that by clicking here.
To find out more about the Japanese Beetles and the eradication program, click here.
AloJapan.com