Thursday, February 18, 2010

Invasive beetle intercepted at Louisville airport

by Julie Peterson, UK Entomology Graduate Student

Here's an article from the Louisville Courier Journal about customs agents intercepting a larval Khapra beetle from oats on a UPS shipment:

"Harmful Beetle Found in UPS Package"


Just another way that invasive pests can travel worldwide! The Khapra beetle is a serious pest of stored grains, so its introduction in the US could be very harmful. Here's a link to more information on this beetle:

Khapra Beetle

We should say thanks to all the customs, USDA, and other regulatory agents who search imported products to catch tiny little invasives like this guy!

1 comment:

  1. I haven't heard of this particular critter before. Looks like a nasty pest, and potentially difficult to distinguish from common native dermestid beetles.

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