A European Rhinoceros Beetle has been found in the North East after stowing away in a potted plant imported from Holland.
Retired civil servant Kay Willis, of Chester-le-Street, County Durham, discovered the 2in (5cm) creature - not native to the UK - in the soil of a fruit tree bought at a supermarket. It survived the tree's plastic wrapping, the journey from Holland and being soaked in water before planting. "I named him George - George was my favourite Beatle," said Kay on Sunday.
"It crawled out after I soaked the tree, and I thought that I had drowned it. Maybe it was in the bark clippings."
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Having recovered from his ordeal, George was taken to Northumberland Zoo near Morpeth, a road trip of 74 miles.
Kay joked: "I told my granddaughter Sophia and she said 'That is a long way to take a beetle nana'." Usually found near the Mediterranean Sea, the European Rhinoceros Beetle is not thought to be a threat to UK species.
But conservation charity Buglife said its appearance highlighted a weakness in biosecurity measures and warned of the risks of "horticultural hitchhikers".
David Smith, from the charity, said: "It is extremely concerning that species as large as the European Rhinoceros Beetle can make their way here undetected in products."
The charity is calling on the Government to ban the importation of products containing soil to protect native wildlife. The fruit tree in question had been grown and packaged in The Netherlands.
Kay, 66, has been fascinated by insects since childhood, and wanted to make sure the bug survived - though it is only likely to live until the summer. "They look for lady beetles, with none here," she said. "That is his misfortune, I'm afraid."
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