A semi truck was denied entry into the US last week after agents discovered an invasive beetle hiding within the truck’s cargo.
The incident happened on July 18th at the Roma Port of Entry in Roma, Texas.
The beetle was found while agents were inspecting the truck’s load of maguey leaves, a plant that is part of the agave family. The tractor trailer was then denied entry into the US, and the beetle was then collected and sent to the U.S. Department of Agriculture to be identified by an entomologist.
Two days later, the beetle was confirmed as an Acanthoderes funeraria Bates (Cerambycidae). These bugs are known to feed on wood or plants, which could potentially pose a threat for US agriculture.
“Our frontline CBP agriculture specialists at Roma Port of Entry examine a significant amount of fresh produce shipments on a daily basis and their tenacity and dedication to the mission of safeguarding American agriculture led to their discovery of this first in nation pest interception,” Andres Guerra, director of the Roma/Rio Grande City Port of Entry, said in a press release.