In the past few days, the customs at the trading post in Gaoming district (Foshan city, Guangdong province) discovered a moth larva in an orange taken from a traveler's luggage. After having been investigated by experts, it was identified as the cryptophlebia which is harmful to organisms and therefore should be put into quarantine. This was the first time the trading post in Gaoming had intercepted this harmful organism. The office for quarantine and inspection in Gaoming has now destroyed the dangerous fruit, as stipulated in the rules.
Based on our understanding, cryptophlebiae are native to Ethiopia but have now spread out to the Sahara region in Africa, South Africa and islands in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. This insect is mainly hosted by citrus fruits, grapefruits, guavas, peaches, avocados and other fruits; but is also found in maize, cotton and other cash crops. The larva causes the fruit to ripen pre-maturely or fall to the soil. Furthermore, they may give rise to contamination by microorganisms that cause disease, which results in rotten fruit. The cryptophlebia in apples is the largest injurious insect among the termites in the regions of Africa. It can follow its hosting fruit over long distances during transport and thus proliferate rapidly. As soon as it enters China, it would cause serious economic losses for the Chinese agricultural and forestry industries.
