Japanese beetle open house to be held Thursday

PASCO — The Washington State Department of Agriculture will host an open house Thursday in Pasco to discuss plans for eradicating the Japanese beetle, according to an announcement from the WSDA. The event will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. at Educational Service District 123, located at 3924 W. Court St. in Pasco.

Residents in the treatment area are encouraged to attend to learn about the proposed eradication and give consent to have their property treated free of charge, the announcement said. English- and Spanish-speaking representatives will be at the event to answer questions or take consent forms. Eradication plans include using insecticide to treat hundreds of properties in the treatment area, including private property, with property owner permission.

Acelepryn, the product to be used for Japanese beetle treatment, is a reduced-risk insecticide that is not hazardous to humans or domestic animals, the WSDA wrote. Applicators spray the product to plant foliage or directly to lawns. Agencies in Oregon, Idaho, California, and Utah have used this product for Japanese beetle eradication projects since 2009 and have successfully and safely eradicated or reduced the numbers of the pest.

“Other Japanese beetle eradication projects across the Northwest have shown that yearly treatments with the pesticide Acelepryn in late April or early May is the best option,” Camilo Acosta, WSDA eradication project coordinator, wrote in the announcement.

More information on the Japanese beetle is available at  agr.wa.gov/beetles.