^^c.rl/^•'1'n 
Bur. Ent. & P. Q. Issued June 1944 
United States Department of Agriculture 
BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY AND PLA^ QUARANTI 
SERVICE AND REGULATORYi^^NOUNCEMETN 
LIST OF INTERCEPTED PLANT PESTS, 1943- 
(List of Pests Recorded During the Period July 1, 1942, to June 30, 1943, Inclusive, 
as Intercepted in, on, or with Plants and Plant Products Eiyteri^g United 
States Territory.) y 
INTRODUCTION ^ ^ i^ 
This report covers the thirtieth year for whicn^feis^of £^i^*^ceptions have 
been issued. During the first year, the fiscal year 1914, a Total of 1,456 inter- 
ceptions were recorded. The highest number in any list is 81,592 for the fiscal 
year 1940. Interceptions for the thirty-year period total more than 600,000. 
The records summarized in this report mclude pests intercepted in, on, or with 
plants and plant products (1) imported, (2) offered for but refused entry, (3) held 
as ships' stores, etc., and hence not imported through customs, (4) offered for 
entry for immediate export or for immediate transportation and exportation in 
bond, and (5) in domestic shipments between Hawaii and Puerto Rico and the 
mainland. 
Determinations of collections made near the close of the preceding year are 
included with data for the current year. In addition to routine reports and 
determinations by the personnel of this Bureau, considerable information is 
supplied by State and customs officials. Staffs of specialists maintained by the 
States of California and Florida and the Territory of Hawaii determine most of 
the interceptions made there, and specialists of the Bureau of Plant Industry 
determine a large part of the more difficult plant-disease material. 
The scientific names of insects are checked by specialists in this Bureau and 
those of hosts and fungi by specialists in the Bureau of Plant Industry to make 
sure they conform to the appropriate international rules of nomenclature. 
The alleged origin of plant materials cannot be verified in all cases, especially 
under present conditions. Obviously doubtful items are usually omitted but if 
of particular interest may be listed as of unknown origin. 
The factors affecting the nature, number, and source of interceptions under 
normal conditions are too complicated for ready and satisfactory analysis. Hence 
the effects of war on the interceptions cannot be stated in specific terms with any 
assurance of accuracy. It is interesting to note, however, that in the list of inter- 
ceptions for 1940 nearh^ 13.6 percent of the interceptions in the main detailed 
table were from Europe, for 1941 only 1.9 percent, and for 1942 only 1.7 percent. 
For 1940 the interceptions from Japan v.ere nearly 2.2 percent, dropping to 1.6 
percent for 1941 and to 0.16 percent for 1942. 
Among the factors affecting the interceptions made, in addition to the virtual 
elimination of receipt of plant material from Axis-held territory, are reduction in 
plant pest control measures and curtailment of plant pest inspection services in 
foreign countries; limitations on shipping space and routes; and transfer of large 
groups of our population to other countries. These factors and others correlated 
with them undoubtedly affected the interception records. 
NOTES ON INSECTS INTERCEPTED 
FRUITFLIES 
Anastrepha fraterculus was intercepted at New York in orange in stores from 
Brazil. A. fraterculus (?) was taken at New Orleans, New York, and the In- 
spection House in Washington, D. C, in coffee and oranges in mail and stores from 
Brazil. The Mexican fruitfly {A. ludens) was intercepted 71 times in oranges in 
baggage, quarters, and stores at Brownsville, El Paso, Fort Worth, Galveston, 
Hidalgo, Laredo, and Presidio, and 49 times in 9 other hosts in baggage, cargo, and 
stores and in 6 empty refrigerator cars at El Paso, all from Mexico. The Mexican 
fruitfly was also taken twice in oranges in baggage at Brownsville from Guate- 
mala. The West Indian fruitfly {A. momhinpraeoptans) was intercepted 6 times 
in mangoes in baggage, quarters, and stores from the American Virgin Islands, 
Haiti, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico. A. serpentina was taken 6 times in mamey and 
sapodilla in baggage and quarters from Guatemala and Mexico. The Mediter- 
576679-44 1 1 
