Invasive Mediterranean insect found at Detroit Metro Airport
Michigan's millions of conifer trees may have just dodged a bad bug.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced this week that agricultural specialists at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport identified a rare, spore-spreading seed bug from the Mediterranean region amid undeclared cypress cones arriving from Jordan late last year.
The half-inch-long Orsillus maculatus insects were discovered among fresh cypress cones being brought for medicinal purposes by a passenger in transit to Ohio. The insects were discovered during a routine inspection, Customs officials said.
According to the agency's database, the pest has only twice before been intercepted in the United States, in Dallas in 1998 and in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in 2018.
More: Michigan's 10 most alarming invasive species: How they got here, why they're a problem
More: Great Lakes fish thought extinct for decades rediscovered — in an unexpected place
The Orsillus feeds on cypress seeds in Europe and the Mediterranean Basin, causing significant damage to cypress trees. The bugs also carry fungal spores on their bodies, spreading them as they move. The pathogenic fungus can cause wilting, browning and yellowing of leaves or branches, or can even kill whole trees.
While the Orsillus prefers cypress trees as a host, they have been observed on other conifer species as well.
Customs officials noted cypress and other conifer trees in the U.S. Midwest are important for reducing erosion and flooding, increasing water quality, providing refuge for wildlife, and for their ornamental and timber value. Orsillus' ability to feed on multiple hosts, combined with the pathogenic fungal spores it can carry, posed a significant threat to native conifer trees with a low genetic resistance to the non-native pests.
"This was an excellent discovery by our CBP agriculture specialists," Port Director Fadia Pastilong said. "We must be cognizant of all threats in the border environment, large and small."
Travelers can help safeguard American agriculture and our natural resources by declaring all agriculture items. Visit CBP.gov/travel for more information.
Contact Keith Matheny: kmatheny@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Invasive Mediterranean insect found at Detroit Metro Airport
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