Farm Compliance

Los Angeles, California - United States Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists intercepted an insect belonging to the family known as stink bugs.

On May 1, CBP agriculture specialists at Los Angeles International airport while inspecting cut flowers from New Zealand discovered an insect, which they had not seen before. The insect was sent to the US Department of Agriculture for identification.

On May 7, USDA determined the insect to be a Dictyotus caenousus Westwood from the pentatomidae family. Insects belonging to the pentatomidae family are commonly known as stink bugs. They obtained the name from their foul-smelling fluid secretion. Stink bugs feed on the developing seeds of many plants, including ornamental trees, shrubs, vines but their specialty is the soybean plant. They pierce the seeds and buds with their mouthparts resulting in the pods dropping and/or damaged seeds. This specific insect is not known to be established in the United States.

The USDA determined an insect discovered by CBP agriculture specialists to be a Dictyotus caenousus.

To avoid the spread and establishment of the insects in the United States, the importers of the products are given a choice of fumigation, re-exportation or destruction of the contaminated shipments. In this case, the importer opted for destruction and on May 7, 100 stems of cut fresh flowers were destroyed.

In fiscal year 2008, Los Angeles Field Operations CBP agriculture specialists intercepted 7,866 pests and 98,386 prohibited agriculture products. Agriculture specialists have a massive responsibility of preventing the entry of prohibited agriculture products into the United States. The prohibited agriculture products may contain harmful pests, which may pose a threat to the United States’ agriculture industry. The introduction of a harmful pest can cost millions of dollars to eradicate.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.