Benton County

WSDA Pest Program Manager Sven Spichiger says the community is the solution to eradicating the beetle, and that working together is necessary. Reports suggest WSDA is making progress with approximately half of the proposed treatment areas allowing them to treat properties for the beetle.

Authorities say there is a very low risk to humans

Because of ongoing problems with the Japanese beetle, the Washington state Department of Agriculture has adopted a quarantine for the Grandview area.  Starting September 15th, the movement of certain items will be limited in the infested area, in an effort to prevent the spread of the invasive pest.  Those i...

Late last week, Washington State Department of Agriculture entomologists confirmed the first report of Japanese beetle larvae for the year.  This is the first report of a larvae or grub confirmed in the beetle infestation area near Grandview, WA.  A ...

The Washington State Department of Agriculture plans to start its efforts to eradicate the Japanese beetle infestation in south central Washington Monday, May 2nd. The Department says all together, it plans to treat around 2,000 acres in the Grandview area in both Yakima and Benton counties ...

The Washington State Department of Agriculture is accepting public comments on the environmental review for its proposed plan to eradicate Japanese beetle in Grandview and surrounding areas of Yakima and Benton counties. The Japanese beetle is a highly destructive plant pest that can be very difficult and expensive to control. Feeding ...

The Washington State Department of Agriculture is looking for local input as a quarantine is developed to fight the spread of the Japanese beetle in the Grandview area. In 2020, three Japanese beetles were caught in south central Washington ...

Last week, the Washington State Department of Agriculture announced that the Japanese beetle population continues to grow in Yakima and Benton counties. Since the announcement of the outbreak of this invasive species, the WSDA has caught 20,000 beetles, with an anticipation of even more beetles before the growing season comes to an end ...

Washington Governor Jay Inslee has released new guidance that will permit agritourism activities this fall for counties in a modified Phase One. The five counties currently under a modified Phase One, Benton, Chelan, Douglas, Franklin and Yakima, will be able to offer corn mazes, hay wagons, fire pits and more, similar to counties that are currently in Phase Two and Three counties ...

The Washington state Department of Health confirmed Friday the first two human cases of West Nile Virus for 2020. DOH said one was reported in a Yakima County man in his 50s, who was hospitalized due to the infection. The second was reported in a Benton County man in his 60s who was not hospitalized ...