Katja Schulz, Creative Commons 2.0

Japanese beetle treatment and containment

Changes for 2023

Vancouver’s Japanese beetle regulated area has expanded to help control the spread of the beetle.

The requirements for moving plant and soil materials out of a regulated area have also changed.

Under the new CFIA guidelines, only plants with soil or soil-related matter attached require a movement certificate year-round to leave the regulated area.

Soil alone and above-ground plants and plant parts are no longer regulated.

Map of regulated area (1.7 MB)

As part of an ongoing, collaborative response to prevent the spread of the Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica) in BC, we are working with:

Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food (BCMAF)
Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation
Invasive Species Council of BC (ISCBC)
BC Landscape and Nursery Association (BCLNA)
City of Burnaby
City of Port Coquitlam
City of Richmond
Other governmental and non-governmental stakeholders

How the Japanese beetle causes damage
Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica) is an invasive plant pest that was first introduced to Eastern North America in 1916. This insect can significantly damage:
- Landscape plants
- Turf in lawns, parks, sports fields, and golf courses
- Fruit and vegetable gardens
- Ornamental plants in nurseries
- Orchards
- Agricultural crops
Japanese beetle larvae feed on the roots of turf grass and other plants. Adult beetles are heavy feeders attacking the flowers, foliage, and fruit of more than 300 plant species, including roses, blueberries, and grapevines. The potential damage to urban landscapes and agricultural crops is significant compared to other pests like European chafer beetle.

Learn more about the beetle
How to identify Japanese beetle
Physical features of the Japanese beetle:
- Oval-shaped
- Approximately 10 millimeters long and 6 millimeters wide
- Head and thorax are metallic green
- Wing coverings are metallic copper-brown
- White tufts of hair along the sides and rear of the abdomen
Signs of damage on your plants may include:
- Lacy, skeletonized feeding damage on leaves
- Large, irregularly shaped chewed portions on some flowers
If you discover an insect which you suspect is Japanese beetle, or if you see signs of feeding damage, report it to the CFIA as soon as possible.
History of the Japanese beetle in the Lower Mainland

Japanese beetle was first detected in BC in the False Creek area of Vancouver in 2017. In 2018, the CFIA established a Japanese beetle regulated area around False Creek restricting movement of plant material and soil.

In 2021, the Japanese beetle was detected in areas of Vancouver outside of False Creek and in Burnaby and Port Coquitlam. Based on detections and recommendations made by the BC Plant Protection Advisory Council, a Ministerial Order was signed on March 19, 2022, to further expand the regulated area within Vancouver and to create a new regulated area within the City of Burnaby.

To address detections of beetles in 2022, federal regulations were changed to include an expanded regulated area in Burnaby and Vancouver and a new regulated area in Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam.

Review CFIA Japanese beetle survey reports