The battle is on to stop the invasive Japanese beetle from leaving downtown Vancouver where it has been found. People in several areas of the city can longer remove plants and soil, while removing yard trimmings are restricted all summer.

A program to spray a larvacide will also begin in June.

“This is a very serious pest,” said Dr. Jane Pritchard, the province’s chief veterinary officer. “We are very worried about it escaping the area.”

The first beetle was found in Vancouver last year during routine trapping, which prompted the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to set extra traps. Close to 1,000 beetles have since been found, 90