BUFFALO, N.Y. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed that U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists at a Buffalo international rail border crossing intercepted an invasive insect, Dryophthorus corticalis, a wood-boring weevil. The discovery marks the debut of this dangerous pest at any U.S. port of entry.
The insect poses a potential significant threat to American agriculture. Typically found in old European broadleaf and coniferous forests, the weevil larva develop and feed on the hardwoods of oak and beech trees.
On June 22, CBP agriculture specialists at the Buffalo rail border crossing in Black Rock inspected a shipment of marble slabs from Italy. The container was enroute to Minneapolis, Minnesota. During the inspection, a pest resembling a beetle was discovered and forwarded to USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. A plant protection and quarantine entomologist identified the insect. CBP issued an Emergency Action Notification to the importer and, following CBP procedures, the shipment will be re-exported to Canada.
“CBP agriculture specialists in the Port of Buffalo do an excellent job of detecting invasive pests that could cause harm to the U.S. agriculture industry,” said Mark MacVittie, acting port director for the Port of Buffalo. “We have an excellent working relationship with USDA - this is another example of CBP and USDA working closely together to protect American agriculture.”
CBP agriculture specialists have extensive training and experience in the biological sciences and agriculture inspection. Please visit the CBP website for more information about CBP’s mission to protect U.S. agriculture industry.