US customs agents recently discovered invasive, wood-munching pests on two foreign cargo ships docked in the Port of Houston, according to ABC News.
Agents discovered the first creature, known as a snout beetle, on September 16, 2017, on a ship from Brazil.
Since then, longhorn beetles have also been found boring holes into the wood packaging of cargo from Russia and Ukraine.
Both cases have resulted in packaging being ordered back onto the ship, but the cargo itself, which is not made of wood, was allowed to enter the country.
An infestation of wood-boring pests can be detrimental to trees and other forestry, potentially leaving them damaged and susceptible to disease or even dead.
Roderick W. Hudson, Houston Port Director, said: “Protecting our nation from harmful plant pests and exotic diseases that could cause great devastation to US Agriculture is of great importance.
“CBP agriculture specialists perform important work like this each and every day.”
