Japanese Beetle found in Westsyde (image credit - CFJC Today)

By Michael Reeve

INVASIVE SPECIES

Japanese beetles apparently discovered in Westsyde, more than 10 kilometres from regulated area

Jul 21, 2025 | 4:31 PM

KAMLOOPS — Japanese beetles appear to have spread from the regulated zone in the downtown and Sagebrush neighbourhoods of Kamloops.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) will still need to confirm that the insects are, in fact, Japanese beetles, but a large number of the invasive species were apparently found in Westsyde over the weekend.

“They said that this is about 10 kilometers away from the hot zone, so they were very surprised and very interested,” Laine Martin, who found more than 70 of the pests in her backyard, told CFJC Today.

“That is why they wanted to collect them right away to verify them, but they are 99 per cent sure that is what happened here.”

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Martin also pointed out damage to her raspberry bush and to her back lawn, where it’s believed the beetles may have laid their larvae.

“I’d say the majority of them we are finding in the raspberry bush. I certainly have a very fragrant rose that I have found them on, and this morning, I unfortunately found one munching on a blueberry plant,” added Martin.

The new detection in Westsyde is across town from the current regulated area for the CFIA, which is around downtown and Sagebrush. The previous detection of Japanese beetles around Exhibition Park was the first reported case outside of the Lower Mainland.

“If this is a positive ID of Japanese beetles, they are not very good fliers, so they are hitchhikers,” said Danielle Sparks, the City of Kamloops’ Environmental Services Supervisor.

“That would mean they have spread through human activity — so someone either moving a plant with soil material attached or them being attached to some sort of clothing or animal or whatever to that area.”

The City of Kamloops has asked people to be careful in the regulated area. It also applied larvicide last month and said more treatment will be required next year.

The CFIA is responsible for the monitoring and imposing of regulated areas for Japanese beetles. The latest detection will likely lead to another regulated area in Westsyde but that could still be months away.

“It would be a next year thing,” Sparks added. “I know in other areas and instances they have treated some areas that have had positive detections earlier. But from my understanding, the regulated area wouldn’t come into a new area until the following year.”

The colour of the beetle was the first signal to Martin and she also hopes the community stays vigilant.

“Please stay vigilant. If they are in Westsyde or wherever else they are, they have obviously escaped the hot zone that they had downtown,” said Martin. “I would be concerned if I was in Rayleigh. I’d be concerned for the people in Batchelor Heights, Brock… hopefully we can stop them.”