An insecticide will be spread in civic parks, medians and boulevards in Port Coquitlam this spring.
Starting this week, city crews will add the larvicide Acelepryn to the public spaces to get rid of Japanese beetles, an invasive pest in North America and Europe to about 300 species of plants including rose bushes and birch and linden trees.
According to a news release, the municipality was recently ordered by senior government officials to treat the insect after Japanese beetles were found in traps around PoCo.
Acelepryn is a season-long grub control that has the active ingredient chlorantraniliprole. A single application of the insecticide will also curb other feeding pests such as caterpillars and bluegrass weevil.
On treatment days (as noted on the city map in the above gallery), signs will be posted in the public places; residents should avoid these areas to allow the larvicide to work, and steer their pets away although Acelepryn is not harmful to humans and animals.
Since 2017, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has trapped and eliminated Japanese beetles around Metro Vancouver.
For more details about the treatment program, you visit the city's website, call Public Works at 604-927-5496 or email [email protected].
