Contract approved for 2025 Japanese beetle eradication services

Mesa County enters its third year of combating the invasive Japanese beetle, and during the May 6 public hearing, the Board of Mesa County Commissioners approved a $200,000 contract with WD Yards for eradication services in 2025. 

This one-year contract, an extension of the original contract approved in 2023, will establish the basis for the contractor to apply Acelepryn to all consenting addresses in the Japanese beetle hot zone. 

“We’re having great success with our compliance rate,” said Mesa County Commissioner Bobbie Daniel. 

The 2025 Japanese beetle hot zone is between 24 Road to the west and 27 ½ Road to the east, and Patterson to the south and H ½ Road to the north, with small pockets in downtown Grand Junction and the Redlands. 

Mesa County has been working in collaboration with the Colorado Department of Agriculture, Colorado State University Extension Office, and the City of Grand Junction since 2023 to eradicate the Japanese beetle, focusing on targeted trapping, spraying, and containment.

The spray program is one of several efforts we are working on with our community and partners to ensure our local agricultural economy remains protected from the invasive pest that feeds on grapes, peaches, roses and sweet corn. 

Learn more about our eradication efforts and recent progress in the fight and find out how you can help, even outside the hot zone, on our Japanese Beetle Eradication webpage.