Latest news with #FadiaPastilong
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Yahoo
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 for more information. Contact Keith Matheny: kmatheny@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Invasive Mediterranean insect found at Detroit Metro Airport
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- Yahoo
Rare invasive bug intercepted at Detroit airport
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Agriculture specialists with U.S. Customs and Border Protection confirmed that rare invasive seed bugs were intercepted on undeclared cargo late last year at Detroit Metro Airport. Sign up for breaking news alert emails Local CBP and officials with the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed the insects were a species known as . The seed bugs, which grow up to a half-inch in length, are most typically found in southern Europe and parts of the Middle East. There are no known populations within the United States. CBP has records of just two other instances where the insect was intercepted at the border: in Dallas in 1998 and in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in 2018. According to CBP, the bugs were found on fresh cypress cones transported by a passenger from Jordan who was heading to Ohio. Some cultures use the cones for medicinal purposes. 'In Europe and the Mediterranean Basin, direct feeding on cypress seeds has been shown to cause significant damage to cypress plantations and stands,' the CBP . 'In addition to this, these bugs carry fungal spores on their bodies, which spread as they move about.' Michigan DNR working to bring back fish 'lost' since 1930s The seed bugs prefer cypress trees but have also been observed feeding on conifer trees. Both are prominent across the Midwestern United States and are key to improving water quality, preventing flooding and reducing erosion. They also provide valuable timber. The CBP says American cypress and conifer populations would have a low genetic resistance to the non-native pests. 'This was an excellent discovery by our CBP agriculture specialists,' Port Director Fadia Pastilong said in a statement. 'We must be cognizant of all threats in the border environment, large and small.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
