Insect collecting abroad?

[rowanalder]

I am going abroad nest year maby to Poland and was wondering what is the law on bringing dead species back to the uk for my collection. Am I able to bring back specimines back to the uk or do I have to apply for a licence.

[valleyforge]

Hi,

The list of CITES-listed species from Poland can be referenced at: Country Summary Result

Only appears to be the one butterfly, but I only gave it a quick glance.

The main CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) website is at:
Welcome to CITES and should have most of the info you need.

[charlieb]

Depends on what you bring back (e.g. not CITES species) - although I would be more concerned in finding out about the laws in Poland with regards to collecting.

Oh, and don't preserve your material in alcohol

[Jason Claxton]

Oh and not in Tobacco eitherInteresting thread this Rowanalder

[rowanalder]

Originally Posted by charlieb

Depends on what you bring back (e.g. not CITES species) - although I would be more concerned in finding out about the laws in Poland with regards to collecting.

Oh, and don't preserve your material in alcohol

So I can bring back specimins from abroad then and wont get stopped by customs?

[Jason Claxton]

I seriously think that IMO it would best to seek advice directly from H.M customs though Rowanalder.

[Rossco]

I've been to Poland a few times and have brought some specimens back, but these have been for research and so for the purposes of HM customs they can just be termed 'scientific samples'.

Also, the only specimens I've brought back have been from non-protected areas. Any collecting from parks will require permits from the park authorities and if this is for anything other than scientific study I'll doubt they'll grant it. If you get caught collecting illegally in the national parks then you could be in trouble as the parks like the Tatra mountains and Białowieża are like national treasures.

Just taking photos might be easier on you and the insects if you visit the protected areas. The chances of someone noticing a small number of specimens from a non-protected areas are very small indeed. With that said, I'd just take photos wherever possible.

[Paul mabbott]

Originally Posted by rowanalder

I am going abroad nest year maby to Poland and was wondering what is the law on bringing dead species back to the uk for my collection. Am I able to bring back specimines back to the uk or do I have to apply for a licence.

As mentioned below: unless it's a CITES species or it's a potential pest species bringing into UK is only part of the problem. In addition is the potential difficulty that you may not be allowed to collect anything abroad without a permit. I don't know about Poland but in Germany more or less any collecting is illegal without permission - it would be well worth asking the Polish authorities.
As Rossco notes, you should not be taking anything from protected areas - in Poland any more than you would in UK.

[charlieb]

Originally Posted by rowanalder

So I can bring back specimins from abroad then and wont get stopped by customs?

What you bring into the country has nothing to do with being stopped by customs.

[ChrisR]

As far as UK law is concerned then the customs guys won't be interested in anything as long as it isn't CITES listed or a crop-pest (a list of which is probably available on the HMCE website)*. I import entomological specimens all the time from around the world and there is never any problem getting them into the UK because I do not import tarantula spiders, butterflies or crop-pesty things like Colorado beetles

On the flip side you just have to be sure that you aren't breaking any laws in Poland. As others have said, avoid collecting in or near national parks & reserves - you can usually find lists of sites online or from the Polish authorities. One of the easiest ways to make sure you are in the clear is to find an entomologist in Poland at a museum or collection and ask them. They might even be able to get you permits or give you advice on good places to catch insects.

I always just put any insects in a box in my hold luggage, wrapped in lots of soft clothes. As the insects are not CITES listed or crop pests and I don't collect in any reserves or need any permits then I have nothing to declare so I just go through the Green Channel.

That said, most of my foreign insects are just posted to me and the boxes never get stopped or opened So far I have had things from Russia, Finland, France, Spain, Portugal, America, French Guiana, Holland, Germany etc etc.