Kamloops sets new Japanese beetle containment zone

Officials in Kamloops, B.C., have expanded efforts to control the invasive Japanese beetle after hundreds of the pests were detected in the city last year. A new containment zone has been established on the west side of the city, adding to an earlier zone around downtown. The beetles, also known as Popillia japonica, feed on grass roots and the leaves and flowers of more than 300 plant species. City officials say they spread largely through human activity, especially when soil and plant material are moved. Residents and gardeners in regulated areas are being asked to report sightings to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. People who want to transport plants or soil outside containment zones must first obtain a movement certificate, and officials say trapping and herbicide treatments will continue as part of the control effort.