Quote:
Originally Posted by Kymba  Hi shenanigans and welcome to WAB 
I have the magazine and in the information guide that comes with the first edition, If i have read it correctly they are preserved in the plastic Resin when they die naturally. They do not kill them. Most species do not have a very long life span. |
According to the reply I just received from them the insects are ' hygenically euthanised'.
Thank you for your points concerning the recent launch of the REAL-LIFE BUGS
& INSECTS partwork collection. We have received a small number of similar
enquiries (and complaints) and we trust that the following information will
answer both your specific questions and those that might arise from our
answers.
We can confirm that none of the insects in the series are endangered, none
were caught from the wild, and none are treated inhumanely. The fact that
they are bred, farmed and harvested for these purposes mean that the subtle
balance in their natural environment is unaffected in any way: the
combination of educational value, delight in nature and wildlife, and
respect for the natural environment that are implicit in the series are
values of which we are proud. Furthermore, the inclusion of insects in the
series is permitted by the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild
Fauna and Flora (CITES). They are all farmed insects, bred specifically for
purposes such as these and others oe including nutritional, medicinal,
scientific and educational purposes oe in approved farms, under regulated
conditions, for generally-accepted commercial reasons. We have merely
adapted the technology and methodology for the purposes of this partwork.
The farms and the farming and harvesting methods employed in the production
were already well established before the development of this highly
educational series. Furthermore, all participating farms have obtained a
certification of Responsible Breeders. Under this certification, the farms
must satisfy criteria for appropriate habitat, reproduction, climate
control, foods and foodstuffs to engender humane breeding, farming and
harvesting. The collection has already satisfied the regulations on import
and export in force in the European Union.
The Natural History Museum endorses and supports the series and approve the
list of insects and their origins. The NHM places a high value on the
educational quality of the collection which further helps to illuminate and
protect the natural world oe as do we.
The species are encapsulated in a solid plastic resin block which guarantees
their perfect conservation. Before encapsulation, they are hygienically
euthanised in closed spaces to avoid any kind of suffering, then immersed in
alcohol to conserve their exact details. This process is what gives the
collection its unique educational and scientific appeal: collectors are able
to examine the creature up close, in detail, at no risk (whether actual or
imagined) and without affecting the biodiversity of any natural environment
anywhere in the world. Those insects that were poisonous are no longer
harmful: any venom is rendered harmless by the conservation process
described above. Furthermore, the insects cannot be removed from the Lucite
block: it is a solid block of resin not a box.
This series is already on sale in Spain and France and no incidence of
breakage or ill-effects have been reported in either country. Sales in other
countries are also under consideration.
We trust that this information provides the reassurance you need. If you
require any other information, please do feel free to contact us again.
?) will tend to get ignored but people who protest on a particular topic to a range of 'authorities' will get taken seriously if they explain their case properly. Day-by-day postings of. 'I object to ... this...', will tend to be ignored but reasoned arguments on a regular basis (montly or weekly) will be heeded especially if they are addressed to the most pertinet (or "important") people in the organisation! 
