EVERETT — A rare and potentially destructive beetle was found during a customs inspection of a ship that arrived early this month at the Port of Everett.
The Kharpa beetle can cause human health problems and run the risk of wreaking havoc to agricultural commerce, said Mike Milne, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesman.
The beetles were found among dry food stores on Feb. 8 when the vessel arrived in Everett from Portland, Ore., Milne said. Prior to Portland, the ship had made calls in Egypt, Greece and Denmark.
The ship was carrying a cargo of steel plates. The bugs were found among food stores in the ship’s galley.
A U.S. Department of Agriculture entomologist said the beetle is extremely rare in this country. The beetle is native to India but is known to live in Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
It cannot fly and is spread through commerce, Milne said. The ship that visited Everett was picking up cargo. It didn’t unload here.
The beetle likely could thrive in Washington state if introduced here, officials said.
The ship sailed for China on Feb. 11 to take care of the infestation. The vessel must show proof of fumigation before being allowed to re-enter any U.S. port, Milne said.
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