These insects are dangerous to stored grain and other products
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agriculture specialists recently discovered destructive insect larvae.
On May 12, the specialists at the International Falls port in Minnesota found larvae specimen inside a package from China labelled as welding wire. Nine days later an entomologist with the United States Department of Agriculture identified the larvae as those of the Khapra beetle.
Native to India, the beetle, who’s name is derived from the Hindi word “khapra”, which means destroyer, is considered one of the world’s most destructive insects of stored grain and seeds.
The beetle is resistant to multiple insecticides and fumigants. It feeds on wheat, barley, rye, corn and other products. An infestation of the beetles, which can grow up to 5millimeters (0.2 inches) long, can cause between 30 and 70 per cent product damage.
The insects can also hide in tiny cracks and go long periods of time without food or moisture.
In addition, the hairs and cast skins can be an allergen or pose respiratory dangers for young children.
“The Khapra beetle is a dangerous pest to American agriculture,” CBP Area Port Director Jason Schmelz said in a June 2 statement. “This discovery is an excellent example of how dedicated our agriculture specialists are in protecting our nation’s crops and natural resources.”
Prior to the Minnesota discovery, agriculture specialists in New Jersey found the beetles in rice shipments originating from India in 2019.
The beetles were first found in California in 1953. Governments spent 13 years and US$15 million (US$144 million in today’s dollars) to eradicate the insect.
Farms.com has reached out to entomologists for comment.