An “unusual” stowaway has been found in fresh celery shipped to California, according to federal agencies.
After the shipment arrived, the officer asked: centralized agricultural inspectionUS Customs and Border Protection said in a February 13 news release that agricultural experts discovered two pests on January 16 while inspecting a shipment at the Otay Mesa port of entry.
Experts found “one live leaf beetle and one live Lepidoptera,” the agency said.
“The travelers and packages were then shipped directly back to Mexico,” the agency said.
After submission to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Lepidoptera was identified as a “Copitarsia species,” while Chrysomeridae was identified as “Isotes multipunctate (Jacoby),” the agency said.
While this is not the first time a “rare” Isotes multipunctate (Jacoby) has been found nationwide, it is the “first discovery” for the port, the agency said.
“Foreign insects, plant and animal diseases, and invasive plants can harm U.S. agriculture,” port director Rosa Hernandez said in a release. “Identifying and deterring pests and diseases at the border before entry is an important part of CBP’s mission.”
Otay Mesa Port of Entry is located in San Diego.
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