Japanese beetle in British Columbia: an ongoing response 2018 to 2025

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is working with federal, provincial, municipal and non-governmental partners to prevent the spread of Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica) in British Columbia (BC).

Japanese beetle has been found annually in BC since it was first detected in 2017, in the False Creek area of Vancouver. In 2025, detections were reported in:

  • Abbotsford
  • Burnaby
  • Coquitlam
  • Kamloops
  • Port Coquitlam
  • Vancouver

See a map of the regulated areas in BC.

Why this is important

Preventing Japanese beetle from becoming established in BC is key to reducing potential impacts. If it spreads, it could lead to:

  • damage to:
    • nurseries
    • farms
    • lawns
    • landscapes
    • golf courses
    • gardens
    • parks
  • impacts on horticultural and agricultural sectors
  • increased costs for municipalities, industry and the public
  • loss of BC's Japanese beetle category 1 pest-free status
  • certification requirements for industry

Report sightings in British Columbia

On this page

Annual surveillance results

In 2025, a total of 2,226 Japanese beetles were collected from across BC and confirmed by laboratory testing. This includes:

  • 1,811 beetles detected through trapping
  • 344 collected from host plants
  • 71 reported by the public

Detections by municipality

  • Abbotsford: 3 beetles detected through trapping
    • Abbotsford is not within a regulated area
  • Burnaby: 33 beetles detected through trapping within the regulated area established in the City of Burnaby
  • Coquitlam: 1 beetle detected through trapping outside the regulated area, which includes parts of the City of Coquitlam and the City of Port Coquitlam
  • Kamloops: 769 beetles detected
    • 430 through trapping
    • 339 collected by hand from host plants
    • This includes 236 detections within the regulated area in the City of Kamloops and 533 detections outside the regulated area
  • Port Coquitlam: 1,417 beetles detected within the regulated area, which includes parts of the City of Coquitlam and the City of Port Coquitlam
    • 1,341 through trapping
    • 5 collected by hand from host plants
    • 71 reported by the public
  • Vancouver: 3 beetles detected through trapping, including one detection outside the regulated area in the City of Vancouver

Annual Japanese beetle detections in BC (2017 to 2025)

The totals in the following table include lab confirmed results from:

  • trapping
  • sample collection from host plants
  • public reporting

2010 to 2016: we conducted annual trapping. No Japanese beetles were detected during these years.

Year Number of Japanese beetle detections Detections by municipality Number of traps beetles were detected in Number of detection and delimitation traps placed
2025 2226
  • Abbotsford (3)
  • Burnaby (33)
  • Coquitlam (1)
  • Kamloops (769)
  • Port Coquitlam (1417)
  • Vancouver (3)
 148 3544
2024 576
  • Abbotsford (1)
  • Burnaby (19)
  • Kamloops (11)
  • Port Coquitlam (545)
 58 4523
2023 644
  • Burnaby (29)
  • Port Coquitlam (611)
  • Vancouver (4)
 72 5191
2022 201
  • Burnaby (35)
  • Port Coquitlam (126)
  • Richmond (1)
  • Vancouver (39)
 68 5928
2021 79
  • Burnaby (5)
  • Port Coquitlam (1)
  • Vancouver (73)
 45 2790
2020 214
  • Port Coquitlam (1)
  • Vancouver (213)
 39 2507
2019 1157
  • Vancouver (1157)
 51 2344
2018 8276
  • Delta (1)
  • Vancouver (8275)
 98 2088
2017 958
  • Vancouver (958)
 42 1425

Response activities

Movement controls

Apply for a movement certificate PDF (134 kb)

Until further notice, we are restricting the movement of plants with soil, soil-related matter and/or growing media attached that is infested or likely to be infested with Japanese beetle, in accordance with the Phytosanitary requirements to prevent the spread of Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica, in Canada and the United States (D-96-15).

Movement controls apply to the regulated areas in the cities of:

  • Burnaby
  • Coquitlam
  • Kamloops
  • Port Coquitlam
  • Vancouver

Find out if you are in a regulated area.

A CFIA-issued movement certificate is required to move these items out of the regulated areas. This restriction is in effect year-round and is intended to reduce the risk of unintentional human-assisted spread of the beetle.

Learn more about movement controls

Surveillance

We conduct annual surveillance to detect Japanese beetle in BC. The surveillance program provides us and our key stakeholders with more information about the presence and distribution of Japanese beetle in BC.

Surveillance methods

  • Trapping: traps are placed in targeted areas where Japanese beetle has been found or where there is a higher risk of introduction
    The traps contain a Japanese beetle attractant which is a combination of a floral lure and a pheromone. The traps and lures do not pose a risk to animals or humans. Anyone who sees a trap is asked not to touch it.
  • Collecting samples from host plants: inspecting host plants for live beetles and collecting them directly by hand
    This method helps assess beetle activity in areas where Japanese beetle numbers are higher.
  • Public reporting and community science: members of the public report sightings or submit collected beetles to us
    This information supports surveillance efforts and helps identify areas with beetle activity.
Japanese beetle traps
Example of traps used in the Japanese beetle surveillance program.

Treatment

The British Columbia Plant Protection Advisory Council conducts an annual risk-analysis of Japanese beetle surveillance results collected by us to make science-based recommendations for the ongoing response in BC . The council's current recommendations include the treatment of both public and private lands with turf grass and/or landscape beds in and around detection sites.

Province of BC

The British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture and Food is leading a coordinated effort to eradicate Japanese beetle.

The insecticide used to treat this pest (Acelepryn®) is approved for use in Canada by the Government of Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency. Japanese beetle larvae ingest the product while they are feeding in the soil.

Learn more about the provincial eradication program: British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture and Food – Japanese Beetle Pest Alert.

Treatment of public lands

Treatment of public lands with turf, grass and/or landscape beds in and around areas where Japanese beetle has been detected is completed during the spring and summer.

Information about public land treatment:

Treatment of private property

There is no requirement for the mandatory treatment of private property.

The British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture and Food is working to establish voluntary treatment of private properties near Japanese beetle detection sites. This will be done in collaboration with cities and the landscaping industry.

Information about private land treatment:

Members of the Japanese beetle response in BC

In addition to us, these groups are participating in the planning and implementation of the ongoing response to Japanese beetle in BC:

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