CBP agriculture specialists discover first-in-nation pest in Otay Mesa flower shipment

In one of the more unusual discoveries at a United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facility last month, agriculture specialists discovered a first-in-nation pest hiding in a shipment of fresh-cut flowers.

The bug, later lab identified as Corimelaena palmeri, was the first intruder of its kind and, as such, was not previously recorded in the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Pest Identification database. It was pulled from a tractor-trailer shipment referred for an intensive agriculture inspection and ultimately recognized by USDA Plant Protection and Quarantine identifiers.

As a member of the Corimelaena genus, the bug was a member of the family Thyreocoridae, more commonly known as a family of shield bugs.

“Discovering a first-in-nation pest at one of our ports of entry is an extraordinary achievement,” Sidney Aki, CBP Director of Field Operations in San Diego, said. “Each year, CBP Agriculture Specialists intercept tens of thousands of pests, this accomplishment is a reflection of their immense hard work and dedication.”

In this case, the shipment and driver were returned to Mexico after the discovery.