U.S. Customs and Border Protect agriculture specialists at Detroit Wayne County Metrop[olitan Airport discovered a live Egyptian locust in a traveler’s luggage from Albania − and quickly brought about its exodus.
The agency’s Office of Field Operations recently posted on its Facebook page about the March interception.
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The Egyptian locust, or Egyptian bird grasshopper, Anacridium aegyptium, is an invasive species in North America, though common throughout Europe and North Africa. Adult males can grow to over 2 inches in length; females to nearly 3 inches. The locusts can be voracious eaters, especially in swarms.
Exotic locusts present a serious threat to U.S. agriculture due to them feeding on a variety of plants, including crops like grapevines, citrus trees, deciduous orchard trees, and vegetables, Customs and Border Protection officials said.
Contact Keith Matheny: kmatheny@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Border agents find live Egyptian locust in Metro Airport passenger’s luggage
Reporting by Keith Matheny, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
