Scientific Name: Rhytidodera bowringii

Describer: White

Common Name: nan

Title: Pest of Mango, Rhytidodera bowringii, intercepted at Florida Port

Summary:

Significance: On March 1, 2006, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Agriculture Specialists in Miami, Florida discovered a long-horned beetle, Rhytidodera bowringii, in a container of granite counter tops exported from Hong Kong. This beetle burrows into trunks and branches of mango, cashew, and other trees, and has damaged more than 100 mango plantations in China.

Issues of Concern: Florida has the largest mango production in the United States. Mango production will continue to grow as citrus growers are turning to alternative crops that are not hosts to the citrus diseases the state is currently battling.

Pathways: hitchhiker, solid wood packing material

Comments: The editors of the PAS have seen the species name spelled as bowringii or bowringi. 

References:

United States Custom and Border Protection—Press Release. Beetle Found in United States. CBP Agriculture Specialist Intercepts Beetle. 10 March 2006. 
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/news_releases/032006/03102006.xml