Japanese Beetle Infestations Poised to Overrun Washington's Agricultural Riches

A recent study has raised concerns about the potential for Japanese beetles, known for their distinctive green-and-copper coloring, to overrun Washington State within two decades without decisive intervention.

[{"selector":"#anim-5f44b500-e7ab-418d-8078-a23c70c01977","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d476015c-d2e7-49e8-b44c-036c98cf1dce","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-152.11865%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-47d7b295-9810-4eb5-bdc7-105c240be4e4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-60344ae5-1655-4b24-ae55-f937545286c0","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(114.92064%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-46f7f8a3-d3d8-4489-b4fa-a39cc5b07c6c [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-30.590659222884213%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] Photo Source- GOOGLE

The research, published in the Journal of Economic Entomology, suggests the beetles are particularly likely to thrive in Washington's dry, agriculture-rich southeastern region.

[{"selector":"#anim-71b7e9a2-2d89-4812-8941-4fa925f744ee [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-28.890796575206874%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d6eb0dca-2cee-4970-94ab-37b1250fbe27","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-64f26b7f-c7d2-470c-b42b-e0cadae74eb1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(114.60318%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-64b99b6a-f5e9-4922-ba28-af12d8ba303b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-59c57443-cb51-4eae-ab5f-64a3addfc33a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-152.11865%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source- GOOGLE

The first beetles detected in Washington were found in a Sunnyside parking lot in 2020, marking their invasion in the western states.

[{"selector":"#anim-8b1f60c7-c5f7-44f8-9b20-ed7bce5d6bf2 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-34.179687404002955%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6a40312e-9f2e-4104-ae2e-77050e0b24cb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d137db8f-5810-4d30-b690-2af44b06740c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(113.96825%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c98e8dd3-49dd-4998-9bbb-095066fd3b1e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e5c3e370-547e-4651-bf54-1a8f44cf2d42","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-152.11865%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source- GOOGLE

Just two years post their initial detection, the Washington State Department of Agriculture trapped more than 20,000 beetles in Sunnyside and Grandview, indicating a rapid population expansion.

[{"selector":"#anim-19a5d7ad-288e-4a94-9017-dceb9f230395 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-31.284090795523493%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3b1ab3d2-ea40-47a4-8d24-2d23978b2db0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-baf93ea8-da3b-42f7-815f-f665b97dedf2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(115.23810%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7729627f-05e5-42db-b5ee-75814a16709b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-220edca6-4f81-4ffd-8feb-efaa2a00fd82","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-152.11865%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source- GOOGLE

The creation of quarantine zones, designed to limit the beetles' spread, has shown promise, especially when accompanied by stringent waste disposal and vehicle cleaning guidelines.

[{"selector":"#anim-4d5ee088-2db7-4132-9b7d-bcf0f39ae730 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-28.90624987200394%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d6bfb123-1f43-4614-9261-5f5a98a1c511","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7c97d4d5-5ac5-4dff-9cf1-b87c1143e7a7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(114.92064%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ab395fae-48fc-482f-a4e4-34ef810db026","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-140a1978-1ef7-4caf-972a-ed6fbc8748ed","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-152.11865%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source- GOOGLE

Human activities often inadvertently aid the beetles' dispersal across regions.

[{"selector":"#anim-cf9a8294-efb6-4aaf-a2e4-c0da5ab68fc7 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-21.874999829338588%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ff5bb19b-f0ba-4653-a23f-a3c97e054783","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c0efa874-ecb6-498c-87d4-a218e44feefb","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(120.13201%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c3c6ed49-cbf2-4c0e-8282-3cb5b42708cc","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-82322262-8755-498c-b7d5-3ec8527e1dcf","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-152.11865%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source- GOOGLE

The WSU research team is rigorously studying the beetles' behavior and movement to predict their potential next locations.

[{"selector":"#anim-c37d1488-31d9-41e0-b4c0-8714ca93531c [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-29.749999877123784%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-836019d7-7829-4d45-aaef-d692a514c11e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5a80881f-48b1-405a-81bd-345b8b31cdb2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(120.13201%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4e52c576-067c-4190-b0c2-b35ed6a536ef","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3071c2a0-4fe6-4fde-95f8-51e50b1df7b4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-152.11865%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source- GOOGLE

While the quarantine measures appear effective so far, a single sighting outside the quarantine zone in Seattle raises concerns about potential breaches.

[{"selector":"#anim-bbddf51e-1726-4b74-90b5-7d0719eaf9fa [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-21.874999829338588%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1ccfec02-d29b-41d5-8706-656a58937607","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a7fcd24a-67ed-400d-b642-1d24470f6487","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(120.13201%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cf73bad5-2778-4463-9951-5885a3e5773a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8eb79e11-32ed-4db0-8bcd-05013016e932","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-152.11865%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Photo Source- GOOGLE