Post by: Manedwolf on May 15, 2008, 04:41:19 AM
Quote
Pennsylvania Post Office Discovers Giant Beetles in Package
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
AP
PHILADELPHIA
Customs agents seized more than two dozen giant beetles some the size of a child's hand from an overseas package after postal workers heard the insects making scratching noises.
The large bugs arrived last week from Taiwan at a post office in Mohnton, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northwest of Philadelphia, in a box whose contents were labeled as toys, gifts and jellies, officials said Wednesday.
But the postmaster suspected the package contained live organisms and notified authorities, according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency. The package was sent to Philadelphia, where it was X-rayed and then opened.
"The specimens were some of the largest of their kind, and some of the largest I've ever seen, averaging five to six inches in diameter," John Plummer, an agency agriculture specialist, said in a statement Wednesday. "They are highly destructive insect pests that can cause extensive damage to fruit and vegetable crops, trees, shrubs and turf grasses."
In all, authorities found 26 Hercules, rhinoceros and Goliath beetles. It is illegal to ship live beetles into the United States without a permit from the Department of Agriculture.
Seven of the beetles were in containers labeled by gender, which means they could have been intended for breeding, customs agency spokesman Steve Sapp said Wednesday.
The sender and recipient have been identified, Sapp said. An investigation is under way, but no decision has been made whether to file charges, he said.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
AP
PHILADELPHIA
Customs agents seized more than two dozen giant beetles some the size of a child's hand from an overseas package after postal workers heard the insects making scratching noises.
The large bugs arrived last week from Taiwan at a post office in Mohnton, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) northwest of Philadelphia, in a box whose contents were labeled as toys, gifts and jellies, officials said Wednesday.
But the postmaster suspected the package contained live organisms and notified authorities, according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency. The package was sent to Philadelphia, where it was X-rayed and then opened.
"The specimens were some of the largest of their kind, and some of the largest I've ever seen, averaging five to six inches in diameter," John Plummer, an agency agriculture specialist, said in a statement Wednesday. "They are highly destructive insect pests that can cause extensive damage to fruit and vegetable crops, trees, shrubs and turf grasses."
In all, authorities found 26 Hercules, rhinoceros and Goliath beetles. It is illegal to ship live beetles into the United States without a permit from the Department of Agriculture.
Seven of the beetles were in containers labeled by gender, which means they could have been intended for breeding, customs agency spokesman Steve Sapp said Wednesday.
The sender and recipient have been identified, Sapp said. An investigation is under way, but no decision has been made whether to file charges, he said.
Post by: 280plus on May 15, 2008, 05:11:29 AM
Thanks for the memory...
Post by: wmenorr67 on May 15, 2008, 05:12:58 AM
Post by: 280plus on May 15, 2008, 05:56:55 AM
Post by: Manedwolf on May 15, 2008, 06:05:09 AM
I'm in a bar in the PI, dancing with a local, uh, working girl. I feel something on my neck. I reach up and come back holding something that looked just like that wiggling between my fingers. I threw the frigger on the floor as hard as I could and stomped on it,,, twice. It walked away.
Thanks for the memory...
Thanks for the memory...
You're welcome.
Post by: MechAg94 on May 15, 2008, 06:51:03 AM
Very Classic Movie!!
Post by: 280plus on May 15, 2008, 08:23:57 AM
Post by: wmenorr67 on May 15, 2008, 09:13:41 AM
Post by: Werewolf on May 15, 2008, 12:35:29 PM
We'd toss one on a red ant hill on the way to school. On the way home we'd retrieve the empty husk. (Ants are tough little buggers).
We'd spray varnish the husk to preserve it and could usually sell them for $5 or more a piece. Pretty good money for a 14 year old in 1966.
Post by: MicroBalrog on May 15, 2008, 01:14:58 PM
Post by: Regolith on May 15, 2008, 01:44:23 PM
K-500, people. It kills anything.
I prefer nukes from orbit, myself. It's the only way to be sure.
Post by: The Annoyed Man on May 15, 2008, 05:37:46 PM
Post by: Sindawe on May 15, 2008, 05:58:32 PM
Beetles are of the order Coleoptera, while bugs are of the order Hemiptera which includes leafhoppers, aphids and cicadas.
As we are so fond of reminding the gun-grabbers, correct use of the terminology counts.
Nice specimen though.
Post by: wmenorr67 on May 15, 2008, 08:00:46 PM
Post by: LAK on May 15, 2008, 09:37:30 PM
Post by: Manedwolf on May 15, 2008, 11:05:22 PM
It is NOT a bug. It is a BEETLE.
Beetles are of the order Coleoptera, while bugs are of the order Hemiptera which includes leafhoppers, aphids and cicadas.
Beetles are of the order Coleoptera, while bugs are of the order Hemiptera which includes leafhoppers, aphids and cicadas.
They all look the same after they get hit with a shoe.
Post by: wmenorr67 on May 15, 2008, 11:06:53 PM
Post by: RaspberrySurprise on May 15, 2008, 11:23:25 PM
Quick, call in the Starship Troopers! It's for the chiiiiiilren...
I think you mean the Mobile Infantry, they're busy dealing with bigger bugs than that one though.
Post by: LadySmith on May 16, 2008, 02:08:29 AM
Post by: 280plus on May 16, 2008, 02:17:01 AM
Post by: wmenorr67 on May 16, 2008, 02:48:50 AM
Can it be I've finally stumbled upon a thread about about an animal that no one will suggest eating?
No one has said that yet. Actually there would be quite abit of protein in something that size.
Post by: AJ Dual on May 16, 2008, 04:47:22 AM
I can only surmise someone caught it at a park and thought it would be funny to toss it off.
Post by: 280plus on May 16, 2008, 08:20:03 AM
Can it be I've finally stumbled upon a thread about about an animal that no one will suggest eating?
No one has said that yet. Actually there would be quite abit of protein in something that size.
Post by: mtnbkr on May 16, 2008, 08:24:55 AM
Chris
Post by: Dntsycnt on May 16, 2008, 11:10:27 AM
Post by: 280plus on May 16, 2008, 11:35:40 AM
Post by: wmenorr67 on May 16, 2008, 08:05:34 PM
Post by: lupinus on May 17, 2008, 01:30:21 AM
Post by: LadySmith on May 17, 2008, 02:52:11 AM
Shrimp and Lobster=Giant Sea Bugs
Chris
That's been my philosophy. Crustaceans = bugs people eat.Chris
Even better covered in chocolate.
I've gone my entire life in the belief that there's nothing bad with chocolate...until now.Curse you, WM!!!
Post by: wmenorr67 on May 17, 2008, 07:04:23 AM
the bugs or the lobster?
The bugs.
Try roasted grasshoppers with a Soju chaser. You get drunk enough that you don't care what you are eating.
Post by: 280plus on May 17, 2008, 07:09:25 AM
280 in regards to a meat like and vegetable like looking plate of food with brown sauce, "Mmmm, this is good, what is it?" Little Taiwanese dude that wanted me to marry his sister (I should have), "You don't want to know."
I took his word for it...
It was good.
Post by: PTK on May 17, 2008, 07:11:45 AM
Post by: Boomhauer on May 17, 2008, 02:54:42 PM
Quote
Try coming home to one of these Japanese beauties in your house. Pretty poisonous and painful bite, too!
This thing was almost as long as my forearm and quite fast.
This thing was almost as long as my forearm and quite fast.
Search on youtube for giant centipede videos. They've got videos of 'em in captivity, catching and eating live mice.