The Japanese Beetle in Vancouver

By Raymond K. Nakamura

The first I heard of the Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica) was on signs in my neighbourhood calling for its eradication. In its native Japan, the green and copper member species of scarab beetle is called “mame-ko-gane” in Japanese, which means “bean yellow gold” or “mini gold money.” Natural predators keep it under control, although recent increases have been associated with the growth of well-manicured golf courses. 

People first noticed it in North America in 1916 on the east coast of the United States, presumably introduced on imported plants, some time before 1912, when screening became a thing. Lacking natural controls in North America, the Japanese beetle has become an invasive pest. The whitish, C-shaped larvae eat the roots of grass, while the adults, which feed on the leaves of about 300 species of plants important for food and gardening.

In 2017, routine insect surveys first detected the Japanese beetle at David Lam Park in Vancouver. Since 2018, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), the City of Vancouver and other cities, along with organizations such as and the Invasive Species Council of BC (ISCBC) have been working to get rid of the beetles before they become a big problem. 

To control the spread of the beetles, the movement of plants and soil is restricted in parts of Vancouver and now Burnaby. Landscapers in the area have to use special transfer stations. Traps have been set up to monitor and remove adult beetles. The fins on the traps have a floral scent and a pheromone to attract the adults. They are weak fliers and when they smack into the fins, they tumble down into the containers below. Technicians check them every few weeks, recording and disposing of any finds. In addition, areas where larvae are suspected, the City of Vancouver is applying the larvicide Acelepryn, which is is supposed to target the larvae, while being safe for people, pets and other preferred creatures.

I may have overreacted in my cartoon because the signage triggered memories of the wrongful incarceration by the Canadian government during World War II of my parents and grandparents, along with more than 20,000 people of Japanese descent, most of whom were naturalized citizens or born in Canada. The province of British Columbia recently acknowledged its role in that time. It also brought to mind the rise in Anti-Asian violence during the pandemic. And on the other side of the Pacific, I had relatives who were affected by the radiation from the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

I’m not saying that the treatment of the invasive species has anything to do with that, but after I first posted the comic on social media, Jennie McCaffrey, Director of Engagement at the Invasive Species Council of BC reached out to me,

“I wanted to let you know that the Japanese beetle name is troublesome for many and we (Invasive Species Council of BC) get questions about it. We are limited because it is the official name decided by the international entomological society. However, they are in the midst of making change! Just this year the 'Gypsy Moth' was changed to 'Spongy Moth' so we are hopeful that happens soon for the Japanese beetle common name.”