Significant Japanese Beetle Detections in Port Coquitlam
via email from Canadian Food Inspection Agency
There have been significant detections of Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica) in the City of Port Coquitlam during the 2022 surveillance season which will be of interest to your industry members, particularly those who may have operations in or near Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam or Pitt Meadows.
Japanese beetle is an extremely damaging, regulated pest that feeds on the roots of turf grass, and on the foliage of more than 300 plant species, including: roses, fruit trees, grapevines, and other common landscape and food plants. If this pest spreads, it could cause serious harm to BC's agricultural sector and ecosystem, and will cause significant damage to lawns, landscapes, golf courses, gardens and parks.
Annual surveillance trapping of Japanese beetle lasts from mid-June to mid-October, and is ongoing, but as of August 24, 2022, 107 beetles have been detected in Port Coquitlam this year (see the attached map). These detections indicate that there may be a viable Japanese beetle population.
No beetles have been detected in Coquitlam or Pitt Meadows to date.
Background
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), the British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries (AFF), the Cities of Vancouver, Burnaby and Port Coquitlam, and other industry and non-governmental stakeholders are working together as part of an ongoing, collaborative response to prevent the spread of Japanese beetle in British Columbia (BC). Japanese beetle was first detected in BC in 2017, in the False Creek area of Vancouver.
A coordinated response to eradicate Japanese beetle in British Columbia
In 2018, a CFIA regulated area was created in Vancouver to limit the spread of the beetle through year-round movement controls on soil and plants with soil, and seasonal controls on plant parts and green waste.
Larvicide treatment in the regulated area in has been ongoing since 2018 to prevent the emergence of adult beetles, and is supported by the Province of BC with delivery by the City of Vancouver and private contractors.
The combination of movement controls and treatment significantly reduced the detections of the beetle in Vancouver year over year. In 2021, beetles were detected outside of the regulated area in Burnaby, Port Coquitlam and Vancouver. Based on the 2021 detection levels, the regulated area was expanded in 2022 to include additional parts of Vancouver and part of Burnaby. To-date, a small number of beetles have been found within the Vancouver and Burnaby regulated areas and one beetle has been found in the City of Burnaby outside of the regulated area.
Port Coquitlam was not included in the expansion of the regulated area since only one Japanese beetle was found in Port Coquitlam in 2021. Treatment of public lands near the detection site was completed by the City of Port Coquitlam in May 2022, following the issuance of a provincial Notice of Requirement to Treat.
More information about the City of Port Coquitlam’s treatment activities can be found here:
portcoquitlam.ca/japanesebeetle
Current Situation
In light of the detections in Port Coquitlam, the CFIA has placed additional traps in Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam and Pitt Meadows so that a comprehensive picture of the situation will be available in the fall.
The majority of the additional traps have been placed in Port Coquitlam as it is currently the highest risk area and there have not been any detections to date in Coquitlam and Pitt Meadows.
Port Coquitlam – increased from 196 to 296 traps
Coquitlam – increased from 244 to 278 traps
Pitt Meadows – increased from 76 to 117 traps
Trapping will remove some beetles from the environment but is not an alternative to treatment at the larval stage.
At this time, there is no plan to create a regulated area in the City of Port Coquitlam. All of the Japanese beetle surveillance data has to be collected and assessed by scientific experts, including members of the British Columbia Plant Protection Advisory Council (BCPPAC) Japanese beetle Technical Advisory Committee (JB TAC), who will develop a plan for 2023.
While there is an active eradication response to Japanese beetle, BC’s pest-free status remains unchanged and there have been no changes to export requirements for plants.
Potential Protective Measures / Best Practices
While mandatory measures such as movement certificates are applicable to locations within the regulated area, there are best practices and biosecurity measures that can be used to prevent spread of any emerging beetle populations in other communities.
Commercial growers, nursery and landscape operators may want to set-up their own commercially-sold Japanese beetle traps. Any beetles caught should be reported to the CFIA immediately.
Commercial operations may also want to identify viable options to proactively treat for Japanese beetle if there are detections in or near their facilities.
If required, treatment must be applied by a certified pest applicator and information about appropriate treatment measures is available on the provincial AFF website:
www.gov.bc.ca/japanesebeetle
Public Awareness
The CFIA encourages members of the public to report sightings of Japanese beetles or signs of beetle feeding damage. Reporting information can be shared through relevant points of contact for your industry.
Report Japanese beetle sightings or feeding damage in British Columbia
Public outreach activities to increase awareness about the potential damage Japanese beetle can cause and to prevent further spread is ongoing.
CFIA Communications and Public Affairs Branch can assist with you with messaging and outreach materials which can be shared if you would like to proactively encourage your clients, stakeholders and industry partners to be on the look out for Japanese beetle.