Reports to Council

Nicole Nicholls, the City’s Archaeology and Environment Manager, provided Council with an update on the ongoing response and treatment of Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica) in Kamloops. If left unmanaged, this invasive pest can cause significant damage during its larval and adult stages. The larvae (also known as grubs) feed on root systems, causing extensive damage to grass, shrubs, turf, and garden crops. This poses a high risk to lawns, green spaces, and agriculture. Adult beetles can quickly defoliate plants, trees, and crops by skeletonizing the leaves. Japanese beetles cannot fly long distances on their own. The spread primarily occurs through human activities, such as the movement of plants with soil or soil-related matter attached from one area to another.

Treatment application has been proven highly effective in reducing beetle populations and is necessary for eradication. The larvicide Acelepryn is approved for use in Canada by Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency and is the recommended treatment for the Japanese beetle by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the Province. It is not harmful to people, pets, other animals, or pollinators like bees or butterflies. It is applied directly to soil and turf areas to target root-eating grubs. The Province supplies the larvicide, with the application costs covered by the municipality. Each year, the Province issues a notice to treat public lands based on Japanese beetle detections confirmed in the previous year’s monitoring program. On February 27, 2026, the City received a notice to treat public lands for three areas in the city:

• the city centre, which is centred around Exhibition Park
• an area surrounding the Bunker Road Yard Waste Depot
• areas in Westsyde

The following is a summary of key activities to be undertaken in 2026 as part of the response to the Japanese beetle detections in 2025:

View the full memo.
View the presentation within the Council meeting slide deck.
Contact for further information:
Danielle Sparks | [email protected]

View the full Council Highlights for this meeting