Screenshot of CBP website photo of the Khapra Beetle. Credit: CBP

According to a CBP news release on July 5th, CBP Agricultural Specialists officers in Detroit inspected a traveler from Iraq. The traveler was bringing in seeds to grow in her garden, however the Agricultural Specialists found the seeds were infested with Khapra Beetles.

According to the CBP site, the Khapra Beetle is “considered to be one of the world’s most destructive pests of stored grain products and seeds. This small but persistent insect has a wide-ranging appetite and can spoil anything from stored corn to pasta. It also very difficult to control because it can survive without food for long periods and can resist many insecticides.”

CBP Agriculture Specialists are the unsung heroes who work around the clock at the hundreds of ports of entry by sea, land and air to stop pests from causing harm to our country.