Latest news with #KeithMatheny
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Border agents find live Egyptian locust in Metro Airport passenger's luggage
U.S. Customs and Border Protect agriculture specialists at Detroit Wayne County Metrop[olitan Airport discovered a live Egyptian locust in a traveler's luggage from Albania − and quickly brought about its exodus. The agency's Office of Field Operations recently posted on its Facebook page about the March interception. More: Decades of Michigan lake data, hidden in filing cabinets, digitized with volunteer help More: Michigan dispute with Trump administration over funding hits sheriff's marine patrols The Egyptian locust, or Egyptian bird grasshopper, Anacridium aegyptium, is an invasive species in North America, though common throughout Europe and North Africa. Adult males can grow to over 2 inches in length; females to nearly 3 inches. The locusts can be voracious eaters, especially in swarms. Exotic locusts present a serious threat to U.S. agriculture due to them feeding on a variety of plants, including crops like grapevines, citrus trees, deciduous orchard trees, and vegetables, Customs and Border Protection officials said. Contact Keith Matheny: kmatheny@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Live Egyptian locust found in Metro Airport passenger's luggage Solve the daily Crossword
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
