Feds In Miami Seize Rare Insect In Flower Shipment

Usually the foreign specimens flying into Miami International Airport are either tourists or drugs, but U.S. Customs officials found a one-of-a-kind creepy crawler hitching a ride to the states earlier this month.

Graminella punctata, a rare type of leafhopper, has never been intercepted coming into the United States and most farmers and plants are happy that's the case.

The tiny insect is known to carry dangerous diseases for plants and spread the germs as they hop from plant to plant to feed.

On Sept. 10, customs agents found the insect in a shipment of Chrysanthemum cut flowers coming in from Colombia, where they are commonly found. Ironically, agents found eight pounds of cocaine in another flower shipment from Colombia.

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