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My Word: Imported pests wreak havoc

Orlando Sentinel – February 06, 2011

Many people were surprised to learn that an Orlando man had brought a nonindigenous species of cockroach into our community to feed a reptile (“Cops: Online roach purchase was illegal,” Orlando Sentinel, Jan. 29). This is a bad idea for a number of reasons, but it’s nothing new.

Killer bees, fire ants, Formosan termites, root weevils, insects that spread citrus greening, yellow fever mosquitoes, medflies, gypsy moths, screwworms, exotic catfish, eels, monitor lizards and venomous spiders are just a few introduced pests that no one in America ever expected to see in their backyards.

Yet pests still get in, and some get released into the environment. The orange-spotted roach in the Sentinel article was imported allegedly without proper shipment papers. Importing any living and certain dead animals into Florida requires state and/or federal government approval.

Imported insects or animals can spread and compete with, reduce or eliminate other species of wildlife. They can also facilitate the spread of human disease and severely impact our agricultural commodities and our environment. Excessive cargo for the number of available inspectors, incorrect identification of pests and smuggling are all ways in which exotic pests enter the country.

Imagine Florida without fire ants. Those who lived here before World War II can remember picnics and beaches, parking lots and baseball fields devoid of fire ants. Then somebody allowed an ant-infested shipment from South America to be delivered to Alabama. Fire-ant venom can cause life-threatening anaphylactic shock in some people.

Everyone needs to be careful when importing food, animals or dead plant materials from outside of America. Military personnel returning from other countries should inspect their packed items for any pests. Fresh foods and plant, insect or animal materials require a permit issued by state and/or federal authorities.

Many countries impose hefty fines for illegal importation of plant and animal materials. In the U.S., punishment can include forfeit of all illegal items to authorities and possibly fines and probation.

The Lacey Act, enacted in 1900 and amended several times since to combat trafficking in illegal plants and wildlife, is especially strict when it comes to importing plants. Many plants and insects are sold over the Internet without proper permits and documents. Fines can be in the tens of thousands of dollars, plus jail time.

Collectors of plant, insect and animal materials must insist on proper permits, must be sure that these documents have not been falsified and must retain the documents.

Even one exotic pest-infested item carelessly discarded can wreak havoc.

Bob Belmont is an entomologist with Massey Services in Orlando.

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