(WXYZ) — U.S. Customers and Border Protection agriculture specialists intercepted a potentially destructive moth at Detroit Metro Airport this year, the first in the nation.
According to CBP, the discovery took place in January after an agriculture detector canine alerted staff to luggage from Ghana during routine inspection.
Officers examined corn and seeds found within the luggage and found a small, winged insect.
That insect was later identified as a non-native straw crest moth (Mesophleps silacella). It's identification was confirmed by the USDA on Aug. 12, and confirmed it was the first encounter of this species at a U.S. port of entry.
“This first-in-the-nation interception demonstrates how thoroughly our agriculture specialists search items entering the United States to identify and stop potential pests,” said Port Director Fadia Pastilong. “I’m proud of the work our agriculture specialists here do every day, which includes the interception of hundreds of pests each year that could threaten the U.S. agriculture industry.”
The moth is found in Europe and parts of African and is known to feed on plants in the rockrose family. There are about 4,700 known gelechiid species worldwide and the family includes several invasive and destructive pests.
The traveler was advised of agriculture import requirements and released without further issue.
“Declaring food and agricultural items isn’t just a formality—it’s our first line of defense against threats that can devastate our crops, compromise our food supply, and destabilize our economy,” said Director of Field Operations Marty C. Raybon.
