The khapra beetle is one of the most destructive insects in the world. It's hard to eradicate because it can go for long periods without food or water, making it a menace to the grain and seed industry (since it likes the dry conditions afforded by large stocks of grain.)
So kudos to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Philadelphia who intercepted a khapra beetle in a passenger’s baggage at Philadelphia International Airport. The Dept. of Homeland security provided the details in a statement:
"CBP officers referred a family that arrived from Saudi Arabia via Qatar to a secondary agriculture examination after the family declared possessing some food items August 19. During the baggage examination, CBP agriculture specialists discovered immature and adult Coleopteran insects inside two burlap sacks that contained a combined nine pounds of rice."
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