Destructive beetle spotted at Indy airport

Indianapolis: Inspectors at Indianapolis International Airport intercepted an invasive bug with a taste for corn, wheat and other grains with the potential to harm the state’s agriculture industry.
Agriculture specialists with U.S. Customs and Border Protection spotted the two tiny khapra beetles this month during a routine search of packages traveling through the FedEx Express hub at the airport, agency spokeswoman Cherise Miles said.
The beetle eats dried grains, cereals and rice and thrives in silos.
"We have a lot of grain stored right now,” Indiana Farm Bureau spokeswoman Kathleen Dutro told The Indianapolis Star. “You could have hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of grain in a silo. If it’s contaminated, you’re out that money and (had better) hope you have good insurance.”
Timothy Gibb, director of Purdue University’s insect diagnostic laboratory, said the custom agents staved off a serious threat to farmers by intercepting the beetles.
The Indianapolis inspectors found the beetles on July 6 in a small bag of barley seeds included in a package of personal items being shipped from India to North Carolina, Miles said.
23/07/11 Chesterton Tribune

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Categories: Airports Jul 2011, Foreign Jul 2011