MIAMI -- Customs officials at the Port of Miami said they found an illegal stowaway -- a beetle that is a potential threat to mango trees.

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Officials found the six-legged Giant Harlequin Beetle on the deck of a cargo ship that arrived last week from Honduras.

It's the first time the long-horned beetle has been intercepted in the United States, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture records.

"We consider this a significant find," said Zachary Mann of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. "If they were to get into the United States, specifically South Florida, they could destroy the mango crop."

NBC 6's Tom Llamas reported that Florida is the No. 1 producer of mangos in the United States, and 80 percent of the mangos come from Miami-Dade County.

Experts said the Giant Harlequin Beetle destroys mangos by burrowing into the tree trunk and sucking the life out of the plant.

"Some bugs will make a blemish on the plant. It won't affect the flavor, just the looks," said Gabriele Marewski of Paradise Farms. "But the bad thing is, if it affects the internal quality of the plant, then you can't use it and there wouldn't be enough supply."

Customs officials said the beetle found on the cargo ship has been frozen for research.