Amber Betts
WSDA Communications
If you live in the Grandview area, you have likely seen Washington State Department of Agriculture team members in bright yellow and orange vests around town. Why Grandview? Who are they? What are they doing?
Why Grandview?
A few years ago, WSDA discovered an infestation of Japanese beetle in Grandview and the surrounding areas. That was alarming, because the ramifications to local yards, as well as the implications on agriculture, could be devastating. So, we buckled down and got to work. It started with determining where exactly the infestation was. Our teams went out and set traps to see where the beetles had set up camp.
The team determined the infestation was inside a 49-square-mile grid, in Yakima and Benton counties, centered on the City of Grandview.
This year, we’ve expanded the efforts to include treating properties with the most concentrated area of Japanese beetles, setting traps for the pest, and working on establishing a proposed quarantine to limit the spread of the Japanese beetle population beyond the identified infestation area. Part of that effort included hiring several new trappers to increase the grid we are keeping an eye on.
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| (L-R) Amanda, Gabe, Drew, Brenda, Fernando. |
Who are they?
Amanda
The team’s supervisor, Amanda was born and raised in the Grandview area. She is looking forward to serving the community in which she lives, and helping save agriculture by ridding the area of this invasive pest.
Gabe
Originally from Florida, Gabe has lived in Washington state for about a year. He was drawn to WSDA and being part of the Japanese beetle eradication efforts because of the ability to benefit the community of Grandview.
Drew
Originally from Oregon, Drew and his family moved to Yakima. He was looking for a summer job while he looks for a job in his field of study, medical sciences. He loves being outside and is looking forward to the summer of Japanese beetle trapping.
Fernando
Fernando knows the importance of agriculture in Washington state. Growing up in the Yakima Valley, Fernando’s father owns a cherry orchard, and he has seen firsthand the type of damage a pest can do. He’s looking forward to being part of the effort to rid the area of this invasive pest.
Brenda
Brenda is looking forward to being part of the eradication and survey effort. She is excited to be part of the effort and to see the beetles firsthand.
What are they doing?
The Japanese beetle trappers will be going around to each set trap during the “adult flight season” between May and October, checking for catches and recording their findings. There will be more than 2,500 traps set in the area, and each trap will be checked every 10-14 days. If you see the friendly, smiling face of someone wearing a bright yellow vest, please wave, and know they are working hard to get rid of this pest to protect our lawns, roses, and especially, our agriculture.