CALDWELL, Idaho — Have you seen any damage in your plants and foilage, that looks like this?
If the answer is yes, then you most likely have fallen victim to the Japanese Beetle. Add that to a community that relies heavily upon its local agriculture, and there is a problem.
Canyon County experienced a large infestation of Japanese Beetles in 2022, enough were captured in traps to bring about cause of concern for local farmers.
In an attempt to eradicate this damaging species from Canyon County, the Idaho State Department of Agriculture has been given the green light to treat nearly 830 properties in the residential area bordered by Lincoln Road (North), Franklin Road (South), I-84 (West) and Smeed Parkway (East).
Treatment will begin this week, and residents should be receiving, at minimum, one-week prior notice.
ISDA will have staff and a licensed pest control operator while they apply the larvicide Acelepryn. The reduced risk larvicide will be applied to all grass lawns or turf to provide systemic control of and killing of eggs, grubs (beetle larvae) and adult Japanese beetles. The larvicide will also help treat for aphids, chinch bugs, white grubs and more.
Residents inside the treatment area are asked to remove any non-stationary items from their yards to enable easier application of the larvicide.
During application, residents and pets are to remain indoors. Once the application is complete, residents are asked to thoroughly water their lawns and grassy areas to allow the treatment to penetrate the soil.
After the treated areas have dried, the surface will be safe for people and pets to resume normal activities.
A second application of the larvicide will be scheduled for mid-July. Residents will be informed one week prior to their week of treatment.
If you have any questions, ISDA encourages calling 208-332-8627. More information on the Japanese Beetle can be found on theISDA website.
