Moth last seen in 1912 found in passenger's luggage

A type of moth last seen more than a century ago was discovered in a traveler's luggage at the Detroit airport last year, officials said Monday.

A Smithsonian Institution expert identified the insect as the Salma brachyscopalis Hampson, a moth last seen in 1912, said Kris Grogan, a spokesman for Customs and Border Protection.

Larvae and pupae from the moth were found in September at Detroit Metropolitan Airport, inside a bag that arrived from the Philippines, Grogan said in a news release. The passenger claimed the insects were inside seed pods that were for medicinal tea, Grogan said.

Insect holes were found in the pods and moths were seized, Grogan said. The insects were hatched while they were in quarantine, revealing raised patches of black bristles.

The moth was described as very flashy. An agriculture specialist believed the insects were belonging to the Pyralidae family, a group with thousands of species worldwide, Grogan said. The Smithsonian expert said it was the first time that the insect's larvae or pupae had been collected.

Grogan said in an email that there wasn't clear where the sighting occurred in 1912, the year the insect was first described.

Grogan said moths found at the airport were disposed of via steam sterilization.