During routine pest surveillance in 2024 conducted by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), a low number of Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica) were detected in Kamloops. Japanese beetles are a federally regulated and quarantined pest in Canada under the Plant Protection Act. The City of Kamloops has taken action to control their spread by treating areas in and around Exhibition Park on Lorne Street. For information and updates regarding actions taken as well excellent, detailed information on the pest, visit the City of Kamloops website.
Although BC is generally considered to be free of Japanese beetles, there are a few areas in the lower mainland where the movement of plants with soil or soil-related matter attached out of a Japanese beetle regulated area is restricted year-round.. Please be aware of these areas!
Japanese beetles are a pest to over 300 species of plants in North America including many crops of agricultural importance such as tree fruits and berry crops
Signs of infestation
- Soil-dwelling larvae feed on plant roots reducing the ability of grass to take up water during times of stress and causing dead patches and destroying turf.
- Adults feed on leaves and flowers, skeletonizing the leaf surface. They are most active on warm sunny days.
How to identify
- Adult beetles are around 10 mm long and 4mm wide, with a rounded oval shape and a hard shiny green exoskeleton and brown wing covers. The best defining characteristic of this beetle is the six tufts of white hairs running down either sides of the abdomen– no other beetle in BC has this pattern. (Invasive Species Council of BC).
- Larvae are about 2.5 centimetres in length with a creamy white body and yellowish-brown head. They’re typically folded in a c-shape and can be distinguished from other species of larvae based on their V-shaped spines.
- The adult beetles generally fly between mid June and mid-October, when temperatures exceed 21C.
Controlling the spread
- BOLO: Be on the lookout! Carefully inspect host plants for Japanese beetles, particularly if leaves are skeletonized or flowers are damaged. If you live in the downtown area of Kamloops, consider shaking off the soil before moving plants to a new location and carefully inspect the plant material. ISCBC has an extensive list of host plant available for download.
- Most importantly… if you see these pests, report them to your local municipality, regional district or Invasive Species Council for quick action!