dangers of collecting

[sven]

Well Hi everyone,

I myself collect Insects from world wide. South America, Africa, Asia, Indonesia, Europe and maybe even more.
Now I wondered if it is possible that with importing insects (I am 19 and in the middle of a study, I don't travel around the world)
I might also import pathogenes such as Bacteria, Virus, Fungus or even Arthropods that could harm my health or the environment if escaped.
All the insects that I import are already dead.

Besides, I actually did import some kind of Arthropod that eats my insects.
I killed most of it but sometimes it is back, it are no beetles for sure they rather look like mite? or something like that.

Thank you

Best regards,
Sven

[Adam Cotton]

When you receive a parcel of specimens you should always freeze them in a sealed plastic box for a week, and preferably remove the box for 3-5 days (but less than a week) then re-freeze it to kill small pests that hatched from eggs that can survive freezing.

I recommend that you search for the words Psocid (which is almost certainly what you are suffering from) and Dermestid in the forum search function. There you should find information on how to control and prevent insect pests in a collection.

Adam.

[nomihoudai]

> Bacteria, Virus, Fungus > South America, Africa, Asia, Indonesia

And when you eat a Chilean apple, South African strawberries, or Argentinian walnuts nothing will happen ? Just go to your local supermarket once and check out where your food comes from.

[sven]

Hello,

Thank you very much for the information Adam, probably stupid that I didn't do this in the first place.

Well nomihoudai, I am sorry for the not too well thought through question then. You're right about the food but I thought that because insects are animals the danger might be greater. Thank you both for the reply.

Best regards,
Sven