Japanese Beetle

An invasive species

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has confirmed the presence of Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica) in the Government Road area of Burnaby. Japanese beetles are an invasive plant pest in Canada, and restrictions are now in place to prevent the spread of this insect.

What are Japanese beetles?

Japanese beetles are an invasive plant pest that pose a serious threat to our environment. Adult beetles eat the flowers, foliage, and fruit of more than 300 plant species, including elm, maple, apple, apricot, cherry, rose, blueberries, grapes, and more. Their larvae feed on the roots of lawns and other plants.

To reduce risk of spreading the Japanese beetle, the CFIA has issued an order for Burnaby which restricts moving plant and soil materials out of the regulated area. Visit the CFIA website for a complete list of plant and soil materials that can and cannot be moved.

You can view the regulated area on the map below.

What is the City doing?

The City supports the control of this potentially destructive pest and protecting our urban landscape, local agriculture and environment. This spring we will be treating public lands and parks to help control the spread of the beetle. We will treat turf areas along boulevards and medians, and larger turf areas at Charles Rummel and Warner Loat Parks. During and immediately after the insecticide treatment, these parks will be closed. We will post signs at each park in advance to identify you of these scheduled closures.

Is the treatment safe?

The larvicide used in treatment, Acelepryn, is not harmful to you, your pets, other animals, or other pollinators like bees and butterflies. It is sprayed directly on the soil and turf and targets root-eating grubs. Acelepryn is approved for use in Canada by the Pest Management Regulatory Agency of Health Canada and is permitted for under the City’s Pesticide Use Control Bylaw No. 13509, Section 4(f).

Private property treatment

You are not required to treat private property. However, if your property is in the treatment zone and you would like your yard treated with insecticide, it must be applied by a certified pesticide applicator. To find out more, contact your property management company or a landscaping company working in your area.

Yard waste regulations

To reduce the risk of spreading the Japanese beetle in and around the City, the CFIA has implemented movement control measures to limit the removal of plant material and soil out of the Burnaby regulated area. Soil, plants with soil attached, and above-ground plant parts are the primary way that Japanese beetle larvae and adults spread to new areas. The movement control restrictions apply to the following categories:

Restricted year-round:

rooted plants (plants with attached soil)
soil

Restricted between June 15 to October 15 (beetle flight season)

above-ground plant parts (e.g. clippings, braches, and leaves)

If possible, keep these types of yard waste on-site, or use your green bin to dispose of them. If yard waste must be removed from your property, the City's Eco-Centre is approved by the CFIA to receive this material. Landscapers and residents moving yard waste from the regulated area must have a Movement Certificate from the CFIA and present it at the City's Eco-Centre before tipping their green waste. For more information about the Movement Certificate, visit www.inspection.gc.ca/JB.

Before moving yard waste out of the regulated area to the Burnaby Eco-Centre, make sure:

you have a valid Movement Certificate to present at the Eco-Centre
your load is secured with a tarp or in a covered transport
you will travel directly to the Burnaby Eco-Centre located at 4855 Still Creek Drive

The Eco-Centre will accept:

grass clippings
pruning waste
outdoor plants with roots or soil attached*
branches with leaves
compost and mulch
ornamental grasses with soil*

*We encourage you to remove as much soil as possible and detach the root ball from above-ground plant material before you take it to the Eco-Centre.

Between June 15 and October 15, commercial landscapers dropping off green waste from the regulated area may drop off any time between 8 am-4 pm (including the normally restricted commercial drop-off hours Mon-Fri between 9-10:30 am and 3-4 pm).

Questions and answers

oval-shaped when looked at from above
approx. 10 mm long and 6 mm 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

Visit bcinvasives.ca/invasives/japanese-beetle to learn more.

lacy, skeletonized feeding damage on leaves
beetles chew out large, irregularly shaped portions on some flowers
patches of brown, dead grass that may feel spongy and can be easily uprooted

Report all suspect beetles and feeding damage. If you find suspect beetles or feeding damage, take clear photos and if possible, collect as many beetles as you can in a hard-sided container, seal it, place the container in the freezer, and then contact the CFIA at: [email protected] or call 604-292-5742.
Don’t move soil, plants and green waste outside of the regulated area. Japanese beetles can travel farther by hiding and hitchhiking in above-ground plant parts, rooted plants (both with and without soil), pruning waste, soil, and compost. Not moving branches, clippings, and excess soil reduces the opportunity for introductions to new areas.
Compost. Composting plant waste on-site helps prevent the spread of both Japanese beetle adults and larvae.
Use your green bin. Use your City of Burnaby municipal green bin to dispose of plant and soil material that cannot be stored on site.
Shake it. If you must move any green waste off site, shake plants to remove any Japanese beetles prior to disposal or prior to loading it into your vehicle for transport to a disposal site.
Tarp your load. If you must transport green waste off site, tarp your load to prevent beetles from flying out.
Thoroughly clean gardening and lawn care equipment regularly. Clean soil from all equipment and tools, including lawn mowers, aerating and power raking equipment, especially if you intend to use these items at another location or job site.
Check your clothing, equipment and vehicles for hitchhikers. Japanese beetles can also hitch a ride on clothing, work boots and vehicles.
Learn about current movement restrictions and obtain a movement certificate. It is illegal to move soil or plant parts outside of the regulated area without permission from the CFIA. Report all illegal movement of regulated materials to the CFIA.

There are no changes to your Green Bin collection program. Material collected through the City’s residential and commercial green waste program is taken to a composting facility that is approved for plant material that may contain Japanese beetle. (Sorry, we do not accept soil in the Green Bin).