Detroit CBP Agriculture Specialists Intercept Destructive Aspidoproctus Insects at DTW, Marking First U.S. Discovery
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agriculture specialists at Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW) have made the first-ever interception of giant scale insects belonging to the Aspidoproctus species in the United States. The insects, approximately 5 mm long and dark in color, were discovered in February feeding on fresh pine bark carried by a traveler in transit from Cameroon to Illinois. The bark was intended for medicinal purposes. Local CBP and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) specialists identified the insects, with the USDA confirming their species on August 7. This marks the first time this specific species has been encountered at a U.S. Port of Entry. Both the insects and the pine bark were seized, and the traveler was informed of regulations before being released without incident. According to CBP, the African genus of scale includes some of the world's largest species, which are sap-sucking insects that feed on various shrubs and trees.
