Ento-musings from the University of Kentucky Department of Entomology


Monday, February 28, 2011

Invasive Beetle Intercepted at KY Airport

According to WLEX News, U.S. Customs and Border Protection discovered a potentially destructive exotic beetle in unclaimed baggage at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport last week.

The insect was the Khapra beetle. The beetle is believed to have originated in Asia, and it is an important pest of stored grains. The critter has actually been found in the U.S. a few times before, but it's spread has been stopped each time. It looks like they successfully stopped it this time, too.

You can read the report here:
http://www.lex18.com/news/khapra-beetle-found-in-luggage

And here is a more detailed version of the story from The Cypress Times:
http://www.thecypresstimes.com/article/News/National_News/CINCINNATI_CBP_INTERCEPTS_DESTRUCTIVE_STOWAWAY_BEETLE_IN_FOOD/41122

And you can read more about the beetle in this USDA-APHIS Response Guidelines factsheet:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/manuals/emergency/downloads/nprg-khapra.pdf

No comments:

Post a Comment