What are the extent of laws and restrictions of importing beetle species ot and within the US and why?

That is kind of weird. The weird thing is that I see Indonesian and Malaysian breeders keep all sorts of exotic insects and none of them ever got out and that the country is tropical. Just another shower thought. Ditto with Japan's thing as they used to ban beetles until pressure from hobbyists made them permitted. And Japan has quite a nice climate for this stuff.

 
The feeder roaches are the main reason behind the USDA changes in exotic roaches. I haven't heard that these changes have gone through yet, but they are delisting many of them... so many people have them now that have been researching changes to permitting.

Other than that, yes, it is illegal (without a permit) to own or receive between states any insect that eats any part of any plant (dead or alive plant) and any point in it's life cycle.

Even if the insect is native to both states, you are supposed to have a permit to receive them.

This is for both natives or exotics. If the insect ONLY eats other insects they are, for the most part, ok to own or ship. Also dung beetles are fine.

This has been the same permitting rules and procedures that have been in place since I started working with beetles back in 1999. This is also why I've been trying to get people to comment on the USDA permitting site. Until last year, not much had changed in any way regarding permits for pet insects, and when things had changed - it was for the worse: like when the African Millipedes were taken away (before that, they could be found at almost any pet store). So it's a pretty big deal that they are even considering easing permits -and- that they asked for public comment.

To kind-of back this information up, I have contacts at the USDA/APHIS as well as a majority of the zoos and institutions in the US that exhibit insects. For the past two years I have attended the IECC conference in AZ and sat-in on the "USDA round table" discussion regarding permits. Also, for the past two years, I have been attempting to work with the USDA to ease permits on a specific genus of large, exotic beetle. I am also a permit holder for AGB millipedes for a live exhibit that I curate at the local science museum, so I have been through all the paperwork before.

 
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Beetle-Experience said:
The feeder roaches are the main reason behind the USDA changes in exotic roaches. I haven't heard that these changes have gone through yet, but they are delisting many of them.

Other than that, yes, it is illegal (without a permit) to own or receive between states any insect that eats any part of any plant (dead or alive plant) and any point in it's life cycle.

Even if the insect is native to both states, you are supposed to have a permit to receive them.

This is for both natives or exotics. If the insect ONLY eats other insects they are, for the most part, ok to own or ship. Also dung beetles are fine.

This has been the same permitting rules and procedures that have been in place since I started working with beetles back in 1999. This is also why I've been trying to get people to comment on the USDA permitting site. Until last year, not much had changed in any way regarding permits for pet insects, and when things had changed - it was for the worse: like when the African Millipedes were taken away (before that, they could be found at almost any pet store). So it's a pretty big deal that they are even considering easing permits -and- that they asked for public comment.

To kind-of back this information up, I have contacts at the USDA/APHIS as well as a majority of the zoos and institutions in the US that exhibit insects. For the past two years I have attended the IECC conference in AZ and sat-in on the "USDA round table" discussion regarding permits. Also, for the past two years, I have been attempting to work with the USDA to ease permits on a specific genus of large, exotic beetle.
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I applaud you for that and I'm with you on that. For that, I am willing to help you on that, as it will help with a lot of matters as well as allow the USDA to catch the pests that really do affect us.

 
Thank you Kevin!

I also wanted to talk about the easily misunderstood practice of selling live insects with an example:

During the summer months there are spots here in south Louisiana where it is easy to collect Eastern Lubber Grasshoppers. I collect and sell them to Shane at 'Bugs of America' (great guy!). He often turns around and sells them to others.

Since they are native to my state, I do not need a permit to collect, breed or sell them. Shane however, does need and has a permit to own them (since they eat plants and he is out of state).

It is not necessary for Shane or I to make sure that the person buying Lubbers from us has the proper permits - it it up to the buyer to make sure they themselves are legal.

So, just because you see something for sale online does not mean it is automatically legal for you to own, nor does it mean that the seller is necessarily breaking any laws by offering them for sale.

...I'm not sure if this helps clear anything up, but I hope it does.

 
Please don't think that I am trying to stop anyone from buying or owning anything, or that I necessarily agree with the current state of permitting in the US, but I do know what the requirements are and it is often very difficult to find correct information out on your own - so I am trying to help.

 
Beetle-Experience said:
The feeder roaches are the main reason behind the USDA changes in exotic roaches. I haven't heard that these changes have gone through yet, but they are delisting many of them... so many people have them now that have been researching changes to permitting.

Other than that, yes, it is illegal (without a permit) to own or receive between states any insect that eats any part of any plant (dead or alive plant) and any point in it's life cycle.
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Oh man, I really hope the USDA doesn't come knocking down my door, 'cause I love my hobby, roaches are my absolute favorite insects, I would hate to have to give them up.
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Thanks for the information man, I really appreciate it!

 
Well not to let the permitted seller off the hook, the permitted seller should learn or know what is legal to ship from state to state since he is the permitted seller. If anyone goes to jail he should first.

You may have an 18 year old trying to do a school project and learn the cycle of wood eating beetles. Should he go to jail, I don`t think so.

Do they really have time to work with real problems like fire ants with incredible devastation in the south, and millions and millions of old tires piled up across the country half filled with water raising mosquitoes?

Insect rod

 
Oh crap, what about my native rhinoceros beetles, native/exotic carnivorous/omnivorous orthopotera, mantids, millipedes and the whatnot!? Oh the tragedy. By the way, shouldn't the USDA be tackling down real problems and checking for the real pests like fire ants, emerald ash borers, invasives that are already there?

 
The USDA is already trying to develop methods to contain the species you've mentioned, Kevin. You have to keep in mind that these NIS are labeled invasive because they have caused both ecological and economical damages. It is never an easy task to try to eradicate or maintain their population due to numerous factors that are required to take in to consideration (environmental, ecological, economical, etc). Not to mention that these species have already established a population here in the US due to biological, environmental, or ecological advantages (reproductive method, generalist vs. specialist, absence of predator, presence of available resources, etc).

 
Insect rod said:
Well not to let the permitted seller off the hook, the permitted seller should learn or know what is legal to ship from state to state since he is the permitted seller. If anyone goes to jail he should first.

You may have an 18 year old trying to do a school project and learn the cycle of wood eating beetles. Should he go to jail, I don`t think so.

Do they really have time to work with real problems like fire ants with incredible devastation in the south, and millions and millions of old tires piled up across the country half filled with water raising mosquitoes?

Insect rod
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Insect Rod,

You may be thinking of this from the wrong angle - It is ALWAYS up to the person who is keeping/breeding/rearing the insect to make sure they themselves are within the law. We are not required to be the police here, so - as long as the person who is selling something has the permits to keep the insect - they are within the law.

When you buy something - it is up to YOU to make sure YOU are within the Fed + State laws.

Actually, they do have time, this is APHIS/PPQ we are talking about, and this is their only job. They are trying to keep problems like the exotic phasmid in CA or the "Japanese Beetle" from happening. Their main priority (because of the money) is keeping agriculture safe from pests, so hobbyists are a bit lower on their scale of importance.

Also, you would have to try very hard to go to jail over invertebrate permits. The worst that happens is fines and confiscation

 
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