‘Problematic’ invasive bugs — just a half-inch long — found at MI airport, officials say

An invasive bug species found at a Michigan airport marks just the third time the species has been intercepted in the United States, officials say.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials say the discovery was made last year at the Detroit Metro Airport, but it wasn’t until January when agriculture specialists identified the rare bug.

Found among cypress cones brought from Jordan for medicinal purposes, the half-inch-long insects were discovered during a routine inspection of a traveler, according to a Feb. 5 news release.

They have been identified as belonging to the Orsillus maculatus species, which are more commonly seen in Europe and the Mediterranean Basin. They are known to feed on cypress seeds, causing “significant damage to cypress plantations and stands,” customs officials said.

“In addition to this, these bugs carry fungal spores on their bodies, which spread as they move about. While their preferred host is cypress, they have been observed on other conifer species,” according to the news release.

Why does this matter? Officials say cypress aids in environmental concerns, including reducing erosion and flooding, and providing refuge for wildlife.

That means the Orsillus maculatus bugs intercepted in Michigan could have posed a “potential threat” to the native conifer trees had they escaped into the wild.

“Invasive insects are problematic because their pest potential is often underestimated based on circumstances relative to their native environments, where predators and plant resiliency help prevent outbreaks,” officials say.

According to the news release, bugs of this species have been intercepted just twice before in the U.S. — in Dallas in 1998 and Fort Lauderdale in 2018.

Port Director Fadia Pastilong referred to the finding as an “excellent discovery by our CBP agriculture specialists.”