Inspectors find invasive Asian gypsy moth eggs on ship at Baltimore port

BALTIMORE - U.S. Customs and Border Protection says agriculture specialists discovered eggs from a nonnative species of moth known to harm plant life onboard a cargo ship that docked at the Port of Baltimore.

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Egg mass of the highly destructive Lymantria dispar asiatica/japonica, also known as Asian Gypssy Moth. (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)

The agency said Tuesday that U.S. Department of Agriculture experts determined the eggs were laid by an Asian gypsy moth.

A statement from the agency said the eggs were found on a coal freighter that was confirmed to have made trips in China and Japan in 2019. Officials said specialists removed the egg mass and treated the affected area.

The statement said the species is known to attack more than 500 types of trees in the U.S.