Trogoderma granarium, commonly known as Khapra beetle, is one of the world’s most destructive insect pests of stored grains, cereals and seeds, and it presents potentially crippling economic consequences to grain and cereal exporters such as the United States. Due to those consequences, Khapra beetle remains the only insect in which U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) takes regulatory action, even when the insect is in a dead state.
CBP agriculture specialists at both Washington Dulles International Airport (Dulles) and Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) recently encountered this dangerous insect pest.
CBP agriculture specialists at BWI discovered two live adult Khapra beetles, one dead immature larva, and several cast skins in two pounds of insect-infested, prohibited cow peas that a New York City resident brought from Nigeria February 23. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) entomologist confirmed the specimens March 6 as Trogoderma granarium.
On January 24, CBP agriculture specialists at Dulles Airport discovered four live Khapra beetle adults, 12 live larvae, and several dead larvae and cast skins throughout a five-kilogram bag of prohibited basmati rice that a Washington, D.C. resident brought from Saudi Arabia. USDA entomologist confirmed Trogoderma granarium on February 7.
CBP incinerated all food products.
