Treatment of invasive beetle set to resume in Vancouver this month

Treatment to remove invasive beetles from our parks and green spaces will begin this month.

Since 2018, the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation, alongside partners including the City of Vancouver, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Invasive Species Council of BC, and the BC Landscape and Nursery Association, has carried out an annual treatment program across Vancouver:

• Parks
• Medians
• Boulevards
• Other public lands

In 2021, the Japanese Beetle Eradication Response recorded a 64% reduction in beetle numbers compared to the previous year, demonstrating the continued success of the program. 

The overall number of detections continues to decrease significantly when compared to the 8,276 beetles detected in 2018. Only 79 beetles were caught in 2021. However, a small number of Japanese beetles were detected both inside and outside of Vancouver’s regulated area. As a result, this year’s Japanese Beetle Eradication Response will be expanded to cover all areas where beetles were caught in 2020 and 2021.

Treatment areas

Treatment will begin on April 6 at Columbia Park and continue through the months of April and May at parks and public lands within the areas outlined in the treatment map PDF file (364 KB). Approximately 50 hectares of public turf will be treated.

We are not closing parks and green spaces, but stay off the grass on treatment days. There will be Park Board staff and signage present at each site to advise on program activities and best practices, including keeping pets off the grass. In addition, letters will be delivered and signage posted ahead of boulevard treatments.

Treatment schedule

Alert  Dates are subject to change.

About the Japanese beetle

The Japanese beetle:

• Is an invasive plant pest that was first introduced to Eastern North America in 1916.
• Can cause significant damage to parks, lawns, golf courses, landscapes, and the agriculture industry
• Can also affect the beauty and health of Vancouver's ecosystem

If left untreated, the beetle poses a serious risk to plants and trees in Vancouver and neighbouring municipalities.

The Japanese Beetle Eradication Response has been in operation since 2018, following the first detection of the species in downtown Vancouver’s False Creek area in 2017.

About the treatment

To treat Vancouver’s parks and green spaces, pest management specialists will manually apply a larvicide called Acelepryn® directly to the soil. Acelepryn targets root-eating grubs and is not harmful to:

• People
• Pets
• Mammals
• Birds
• Bees
• Butterflies
• Other animals 

Acelepryn® is approved for use by the Pest Management Regulatory Agency of Health Canada and is permitted under our Health By-law PDF file (177 KB). 

Learn more about Japanese beetle treatment