Urgent! Sign Up for Eradication of Japanese Beetle from your Property

The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) is working to protect your community from an emerging invasive species, Japanese beetle with a multi-year eradication project. In 2024, 32 beetles were found in a residential area of the City of SeaTac. In 2025 865 beetles were captured in an expanded area. WSDA is planning to treat public and private properties, near detections, with insecticide applications in King County in 2026. WSDA need teh ALSC's help to reach residents. 

Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica) is a destructive, invasive insect that feeds on over 300 plants. Adults skeletonize leaves and damage buds, flowers, and fruit. Grubs (larvae) are found in the soil and eat grass and other roots. It is a serious pest for residents and the agriculture industry and in the Eastern U.S. where it is established reducing the quality of life by ruining plants and gardens, killing lawns in yards and parks, and being a general nuisance in the outdoors. 

If Japanese beetle stays your community will face expensive annual treatments to protect your yards and potentially deal with the responsibility of properly transporting yard waste. The pest can increase management costs for nurseries and farms and make it difficult for them to move products out of the area.

Last week, WSDA issued a treatment press release sharing that we are expanding efforts into the SeaTac area. The eradication project will last several years and requires annual treatment consent. WSDA also mailed consent forms to properties within the treatment area, requesting consent to be given by March 31, 2026. Each properties mailer consists of a return envelope and 4 front and back papers as shared below,

• Treatment Consent Letter
• Treatment Consent Form English/Spanish
• Treatment FAQ Sheet
• Treatment and Health Handout

It is crucial that forms are returned in the mailers provided business reply envelope. (IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT MAILER YOU CAN SUBMIT ONLINE)  using our online consent form. WSDA would appreciate your support in seeking residents’ consent for insecticide treatments.  Contact us with ideas on how to solicit response and protect your community from Japanese beetle.

Learn more and find maps of the planned treatment areas by visiting the 2026 treatment webpage.  

Sincerely,

Cassie Knavel (formerly Cichorz) | Outreach Specialist 

Washington State Department of Agriculture

Cell: 360-688-0560 | ccichorz@agr.wa.gov

Cassie will be at the Roadhouse to answer your questions about treatments Feb 26th from 6 to 8 pm at our Angle Lake Community Meeting we are holding regarding the July 4th celebrations and other community concerns. Details of that meeting will be posted here later.