Aa
One of the world’s ‘most feared’ pests found in Chicago
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/one-world-most-feared-pests-found-chicago-230341479.html
One of the world's "most feared" pests was discovered on American soil. The Khapra beetle, in larva stage, was identified by customs officials last week in a 10-pound bag of rice that came from India.
In a press release, Customs and Border Protection described the bug as "one of the world's most tenacious and destructive stored-produce pests because of its ability to damage grain."
The beetles originated in South Asia but have invaded parts of northern Africa, the Middle East, and even Europe, Asia and South Africa.
The Khapra beetle first invaded California in 1953. The infestation was not eradicated until 1966, at a cost of $15 million.
Customs specialists have intercepted the beetle 100 times this year, "compared to three to six per year in 2005 and 2006, and averaging about 15 per year from 2007 to 2009," the press release says.
The Baltimore Sun reports that grain shipments do not even require a live beetle for the entire supply to be rejected. No other species is treated this way.
Despite the increase in the number stopped at the border, the Khapra beetle has not made it into the American grain supply.
One of the world's "most feared" pests was discovered on American soil. The Khapra beetle, in larva stage, was identified by customs officials last week in a 10-pound bag of rice that came from India.
In a press release, Customs and Border Protection described the bug as "one of the world's most tenacious and destructive stored-produce pests because of its ability to damage grain."
The beetles originated in South Asia but have invaded parts of northern Africa, the Middle East, and even Europe, Asia and South Africa.
The Khapra beetle first invaded California in 1953. The infestation was not eradicated until 1966, at a cost of $15 million.
Customs specialists have intercepted the beetle 100 times this year, "compared to three to six per year in 2005 and 2006, and averaging about 15 per year from 2007 to 2009," the press release says.
The Baltimore Sun reports that grain shipments do not even require a live beetle for the entire supply to be rejected. No other species is treated this way.
Despite the increase in the number stopped at the border, the Khapra beetle has not made it into the American grain supply.
Australia has very strict laws on what comes through customs,and very hefty fines for people trying to get banned foodstuffs through.Because we are an Island we want to keep this country free of a range of things that are in Asia The US and Europe,Our animal quarrantine laws are just as strict.
We have no rabies in Australia,and foot and mouth is very rare,we also have no mad cow disease,(spongiform)not sure on spelling.we are also free of many diseases that destroy crops in other countries,
Yet people coming through customs get very irate when food that they try to bring in is confiscated,we have to protect our countries from parasites.
We have no rabies in Australia,and foot and mouth is very rare,we also have no mad cow disease,(spongiform)not sure on spelling.we are also free of many diseases that destroy crops in other countries,
Yet people coming through customs get very irate when food that they try to bring in is confiscated,we have to protect our countries from parasites.
From what I read, it was someone smuggling the Rice from India. India must have some damned good Rice.
“According to a release from the Chicago office of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Khapra beetle was found Aug. 16 at O'Hare International airport when agriculture specialists working in the cargo area found two 10-pound bags of rice in a shipment of personal household items”
“There is a federal quarantine restricting the importation of rice into the U.S,. from countries with known infestations of the beetle, and that quarantine led to the search that found the beetle here. It's the fourth time this year that O'Hare inspectors have found examples of the beetle in agricultural shipments from overseas.”
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-khapra-beetle-found-in-rice-shipment-from-india-at-ohare-20110823,0,5481867.story
“According to a release from the Chicago office of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Khapra beetle was found Aug. 16 at O'Hare International airport when agriculture specialists working in the cargo area found two 10-pound bags of rice in a shipment of personal household items”
“There is a federal quarantine restricting the importation of rice into the U.S,. from countries with known infestations of the beetle, and that quarantine led to the search that found the beetle here. It's the fourth time this year that O'Hare inspectors have found examples of the beetle in agricultural shipments from overseas.”
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-khapra-beetle-found-in-rice-shipment-from-india-at-ohare-20110823,0,5481867.story
I know the article doesn't mention it but it seems like it was a personal passenger. Wouldn't food properly shipped be in containers or like some sort of bulk packaging?..I'm not sure but I just assumed...You know what they say when we assume....lol
@ Adgal, you know what it does sound ridiculous that they made your mom walk back to a us trash can but I really don't blame them....better safe than sorry...lol
These bugs took like 13 yrs for us to eradicate...They must be a REAL pest!!!!
@ Adgal, you know what it does sound ridiculous that they made your mom walk back to a us trash can but I really don't blame them....better safe than sorry...lol
These bugs took like 13 yrs for us to eradicate...They must be a REAL pest!!!!
It just says that customs identified the beetle in rice that came from India; it didn't necessarily have to come from a passenger - could have been in an entire shipment of rice. Eeeewww.............
I agree with you. Food, unless imported through appropriate sources shouldn't just be brought over. (actually, food inspection even from approved sources should have higher standards, but that's another post). We have had so many problems with this sort of thing here as well. Funny story about taking food across borders though...
My family and I drove from Vancouver B.C. along the coast to California once (many years ago when I was young). We had camped all the way there and back - amazing trip, so beautiful. Anyway, on the way back crossing the border from the US back into Canada, we of course had to go through Canadian customs. We had a few food items still in our camper, and had to dispose of them. My mom went to just throw them in the garbage can, but they made her walk all the way back and toss them in the US garbage cans...lol. How ridiculous is that! It was because of a problem the US was having with fruit flies or something like that. Like those little flies couldn't fly 200 feet from the US side to the Canadian side..lol. I still laugh at that. Morons working at the Canadian customs that year.
My family and I drove from Vancouver B.C. along the coast to California once (many years ago when I was young). We had camped all the way there and back - amazing trip, so beautiful. Anyway, on the way back crossing the border from the US back into Canada, we of course had to go through Canadian customs. We had a few food items still in our camper, and had to dispose of them. My mom went to just throw them in the garbage can, but they made her walk all the way back and toss them in the US garbage cans...lol. How ridiculous is that! It was because of a problem the US was having with fruit flies or something like that. Like those little flies couldn't fly 200 feet from the US side to the Canadian side..lol. I still laugh at that. Morons working at the Canadian customs that year.
GROSS!!!!! I personally don't think we should allow passengers to bring ANY food from ANY other country to enter ours. You just never know...
You must join this user group in order to participate in this discussion.
You are reading content posted in the Current Events . . . Group
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.
