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Kharpa Beetles Found in Shipments Entering Los Angeles
Photo by neonspecs via the LAist Featured Photos pool
Destructive insects called Kharpa beetles were found in two different shipments entering Los Angeles from abroad, reports CBS News.
Two dead adult beetles were found in a carton of beans coming into the Los Angeles-Long Beach port complex from the United Arab Emirates, and five dead larvae were found in some basmati rice on its way to the U.S. from India, entering through LAX.
The beetle is "considered one of the world’s most destructive pests," says CBS, able to subsist for long periods of time in very hot conditions, and living off of grains and seeds.
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