Bringing in critters from abroad
- Thread starter peejay
- Start date
This just a copy pasted example from another thread on this forum, but it fits here and the information is correct.
"The problem that most often occurrs with imported insects is that bugs from foreign lands generally carry several pathogenic issues, such as mites, intestinal protozoans, worms, bacteria, etc., that are extremely harmful to things in the USA.
A fine example is the somewhat recent banning of imported African Giant Millipedes. These are already all over the place in the US, so why the ban?? Federal entomologists had recently identified a mite that has been eating U.S. cotton crops. As it turns out this mite lives with AGB's in Africa doing no harm there, and looks like the usual commensurate mite we see on the millis normally making it hard to know if its on them or not. So when these imported AGB's bring in the cotton-eating mite, American cotton crops suffer, the Fed's make the I.D., and the ban is put in place. Similar situations have occurred with several other bug species, which is why government organizations are so anal about imported bugs in general."
Im under the impression that transporting bugs of any kind in or out of a country without permit is illegal. Now, dpending on where you are and where you're going, the people checking you may be more lax on rules than other places, but I do think it's a bad idea and that if they catch you they'll at least confiscate your bugs. I'm not sure if they'll penalize you but i think it's possible. I know at our zoo the USDA is VERY tough on all types of bug transport. I hope others weigh in though, i'm not exactly an authority on border patrol.
"The problem that most often occurrs with imported insects is that bugs from foreign lands generally carry several pathogenic issues, such as mites, intestinal protozoans, worms, bacteria, etc., that are extremely harmful to things in the USA.
A fine example is the somewhat recent banning of imported African Giant Millipedes. These are already all over the place in the US, so why the ban?? Federal entomologists had recently identified a mite that has been eating U.S. cotton crops. As it turns out this mite lives with AGB's in Africa doing no harm there, and looks like the usual commensurate mite we see on the millis normally making it hard to know if its on them or not. So when these imported AGB's bring in the cotton-eating mite, American cotton crops suffer, the Fed's make the I.D., and the ban is put in place. Similar situations have occurred with several other bug species, which is why government organizations are so anal about imported bugs in general."
Im under the impression that transporting bugs of any kind in or out of a country without permit is illegal. Now, dpending on where you are and where you're going, the people checking you may be more lax on rules than other places, but I do think it's a bad idea and that if they catch you they'll at least confiscate your bugs. I'm not sure if they'll penalize you but i think it's possible. I know at our zoo the USDA is VERY tough on all types of bug transport. I hope others weigh in though, i'm not exactly an authority on border patrol.
Those words look familiar... The United States and Australia and the toughest countries to send bugs in/out of from what I can tell due to the extensive agricultural values in either land. Other countries can be almost as strict, while some seem to have little concern. From what I can gather, European countries in particular are more lax about it. As for anyone in the UK, I have the impression importation is relatively open to a wide degree.
Pro_bug_catcher
Arachnopeon
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2008
- Messages
- 35
In Canada it's illegal to even have (let alone import) almost any exotic insect. :wall:
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2008
- Messages
- 688
I brought back a devils mantis to the UK from spain in my suitcase