CBP discovers bugs, eggs inside 360 boxes of papayas

U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston found multiple egg masses and pests inside a commercial shipment of fresh Brazilian papayas.    U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston found multiple egg masses and pests inside a commercial shipment of fresh Brazilian papayas.
   The pests and eggs were identified as Paracoccus marginatus Williams and Granara De Willink (Pseudococcidae) – also known as the papaya mealybug.
   The bugs and egg masses were discovered inside a shipment of 360 boxes of papayas that were destined for Florida. The shipment weighed over 7,000 pounds.
   No treatment was available for this pest, and in situations like this, importers can either re-export the product back to the origin country or destroy the shipment.