DETROIT – Agriculture specialists with U.S. Customs and Border Protection who were inspecting a passenger’s bag at the Detroit Metro Airport discovered a species of moth that hasn’t been encountered in 110 years.
The passenger arrived on a flight from the Philippines and was carrying seeds in their luggage that they claimed were used for medicinal tea.
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The specialists noticed that there were exit holes in the seed pods and found moth larvae and pupae. The seeds were collected and quarantined.
“... while in quarantine, several of the pupae hatched to reveal ‘very flashy’ moths with raised patches of black setae (bristles),” the CPB press release stated.
The moths were identified as being members of the family Pyralidae but the genus or species was unknown.
A U.S. Department of Agriculture etymologist with the Smithsonian Institution studied the creatures and determined it was a type of moth that has not been encountered since 1912.
“Agriculture specialists play a vital role at our nation’s ports of entry by preventing the introduction of harmful exotic plant pests and foreign animal diseases into the United States,” said Port Director Robert Larkin in a press release. “This discovery is a testament to their important mission of identifying foreign pests and protecting America’s natural resources.”