Texas CBP specialists stop invasive tussock moth from Vietnam

Two agriculture specialists with U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Texas intercepted a “First in Port” pest on board a motor vessel arriving from Vietnam to the Brownsville Seaport.

“CBP agriculture specialists play a key role in preventing invasive pests from negatively affecting the agriculture of our country. I commend CBP agriculture specialists for the interception of this First in Port pest, Artaxa sp., that has the potential to defoliate hundreds of species of trees and shrubs,” said Tater Ortiz, port director at the Office of Field Operations at the Port of Brownsville.

The interception occurred September 18. The vessel being inspected had been selected by Brownsville agriculture specialists for further examination to check for possible pest risk. Upon inspection, the specialists discovered and collected one suspected Flighted Spongy Moth Complex egg mass.

The suspected FSMC egg mass was submitted for identification to a U.S. Department of Agriculture entomologist. On October 2, a national specialist identified the egg mass as Artaxa sp., (Erebidae), an actionable pest.

Adult moths in the genus Artaxa are commonly referred to as tussock moths. Moths in the Erebidae family can cause a significant economic and environmental damage by forest defoliation. This defoliation disrupts plant growth and can potentially harm agricultural areas that rely on these trees, impacting the overall agricultural output and biodiversity.

Since the Artaxa sp. is an “actionable pest” not native to the U.S., its establishment could have long-term negative effects on U.S. agriculture, forestry, and natural resources. Pests like these can spread quickly without natural predators and cause large-scale destruction to crops, increasing the need for costly pest control measures and reducing yields.

The caterpillars of tussock moths also produce hairs that can cause allergic reactions in humans and animals, adding to their potential to disrupt agricultural labor and livestock health​