KENNEWICK, Wash. – There are little green and yellow bags hanging up around our area. The Washington State Department of Agriculture put these up after a Japanese Beetle was found in Pasco in July.
The WSDA is trying to quarantine these bugs before they cause more problems.
Amber Betts the Public Information officer for the WSDA says since the beetle was found in Pasco, there haven’t been any more found since, but they are still searching and being preventative.
“The focus is in Yakima and Benton Counties,” said Betts.
A recent study from WSU says the beetles could spread throughout Washington in the next 20 years, even with preventative measures.
Betts says the beetles thrive in areas with rich agriculture. There are treatments.
“Quarantine,” said Betts. “What that means is it’s basically a yard debris quarantine is what we’re calling it. We’re quarantining the beetles to where they’re at by prohibiting or limiting movement of certain items.”
Kyle Buse, the owner of Angel Brook Farm says as a farmer, he’s just constantly worried about what happens with his crops, not just from the beetles but anything that could do harm.
“You know watermelon, you’ve got your concern over certain diseases and pests,” said Buse. “Sweet corn would be different than potatoes. There’s just a lot of worrying about it and keep up on it.”
The WSDA has put traps around the area to capture the beetles before they cause more damage.
According to Betts, the most important step when you see a Japanese Beetle is to report it and make sure to take a photo.
