Japanese beetle quarantine expanded in fight against invasive beetle

OLYMPIA – The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) has permanently expanded the Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica) quarantine, added clarifying language and made additional requirements to the internal quarantine rule. The changes are already in effect by emergency rule but take permanent effect on September 15.

The original quarantine was established in 2022 and included 49 square miles in the Grandview area. Due to subsequent beetle detections outside of the initial area, the quarantine boundaries have been expanded to include Sunnyside, Outlook, Mabton, and additional areas in Benton County as well as the already quarantined area around Grandview.

Soil, yard waste, and vegetation are already regulated under the existing rule. The following changes were also made in the updated rule:

• Adding soil samples to the list of regulated articles in WAC 16-470-710(2), as well as conditions governing the movement of soil samples.
• Clarifying in WAC 16-470-710(7) that cut flowers exposed to open-air environments during their harvest, transportation, or trade are included as a regulated article.
• Adding conditions governing the movement of cut flowers for decorative purposes.
• Requiring businesses that are located within the internal quarantine area and are selling regulated articles under WAC 16-470-710(4) or (7) to post signage to alert customers purchasing regulated articles that they may not be transported outside of the quarantine area.

Japanese beetles can easily be spread through yard waste. To help area residents comply with the quarantine and prevent spreading the beetles, two yard waste drop-off sites have been established within the quarantine area where residents in the quarantine area can take their yard waste for free. 

Japanese beetles were first detected in the Grandview area in 2021. Visit agr.wa.gov/beetles to learn more about Japanese beetle and WSDA’s eradication efforts.