Japanese Beetle invades Vancouver!

From an e-mail advisory from Phoenix Perennials: 

It is important that we spread the word so gardeners can be on the look out for the presence of Japanese beetle in their gardens. Japanese beetle is an invasive species that can do considerable harm to a wide range of garden plants. My horticultural colleagues in eastern North America speak of gardens ravaged by this hungry pest. Japanese beetle is about the size of the nail on your index finger and can be shiny green or shiny black. It has invaded eastern North America but is not yet on the West Coast. Until now. Japanese beetle has recently been detected by Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in the False Creek area of Vancouver. It is not known how Japanese beetle arrived in Vancouver. It could have come in on infected nursery stock or soil or adults could have hitched a ride on trains or cars traveling from the east.

If you live in Vancouver, please be on the lookout.

There’s more information on the Phoenix Perennials website.

If infested debris or soil is transported out of False Creek, Japanese beetle could pop up in other neighbourhoods.

I think it also wise for gardeners elsewhere in the Lower Mainland and BC to be aware of Japanese beetle so please have a look and also forward to your gardening friends and neighbours so you can be on the look out.

We do not want this pest in BC! On the off chance that you were ever to discover a beetle that looks like Japanese beetle in your garden or in a park, please contact CFIA immediately!