(WXYZ) — A moth that hasn't been seen in 110 years was intercepted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at Detroit Metro Airport.
According to CBP, the encounter happened in September 2021 during an inspection of an arriving passenger from the Philippines.
Agriculture specialists from CBP discovered seeds in the personal baggage of a passenger who claimed the pods were for medicinal tea. During closer inspection, apparent insect holes were discovered in the pods that were intercepted.
The moth larvae and pupae were collected, and while in quarantine, several hatched to reveal "very flashy" moths with raised patches of black setae (bristles), indicating they were members of the family Pyralidae.
Later, a USDA Smithsonian etymologist confirmed this was the first encounter of this moth species since it was first described in 1912, and the first time a lalrvae or pupae associated with the species has been collected.
