NEW YORK: The Customs Department of USA has discovered first-in-nation pest at the port of Chicago intercepted Phyllotreta vittula Redtenbacher (Chrysomelidae), a type of beetle, while inspecting a shipment of rhubarb stems from the Netherlands.
Beetles may pose a significant agriculture threat because they can cause damage by feeding on agricultural crops as well as native plants, thereby lowering crop yields and quality.
“CBP agriculture specialists are at the forefront in the detection of foreign invasive plants and plant pests,” said Chicago Port Director Matthew Davies. “This discovery and identification of a new potential threat to the U.S. agriculture industry resulted from CBP and the USDA working together to protect the nation’s agriculture resources.”
The beetle was discovered within a shipment of 10 boxes of rhubarb stems from the Netherlands. The specimen of the beetle was forwarded to a USDA — Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) – Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) entomologist for identification.
CBP issued an Emergency Action Notification to the importer who opted to treat the shipment. Following CBP procedures the shipment was treated and released, the agency says.
