The WA State Department of Agriculture says in their year-end reports the battle against the voracious Japanese Beetle is far from over.

The beetle is spreading rapidly in the basin

WSDA says three times more beetles were trapped in the Outlook, Grandview, Sunnyside and other valley areas this year as opposed to 2024. Numbers of beetles found in the Mid Columbia are also increasing.

That explains in part why we've seen more of those yellow 'bag' traps hanging on fences, telephone poles and other areas in the Tri-Cities.

WSDA also says despite the treatments being free of charge, only 44 percent of affected landowners have given permission for the non-lethal chemical applications.

Last year, at least 17,000 affected parcels of land were identified as potentially having various amounts

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