About Your Bugs

Specimens

An important thing to me is that specimens are ethically sourced! This means that all of the specimens I purchase and encourage others to purchase come from reputable suppliers who use captive-bred or naturally deceased insects, comply with international wildlife trade regulations, and never source from threatened or protected species. The hobby should celebrate nature without harming it!

Ethical Sourcing Looks Like:

Farmed or captive-bred — the insect was raised in captivity specifically for the hobby/trade, so no wild populations are affected
Naturally deceased — collected after dying naturally (e.g., from beetle farms where the insect lived a full life)
Legal collection — wild-caught specimens obtained with proper permits and in compliance with local wildlife laws, CITES regulations, and export/import rules
Not endangered — the species isn't threatened, so collection doesn't contribute to population decline
Humane handling — specimens were killed quickly and humanely if not already deceased (freezing is the standard method)

Many of the sellers that I purchase insects from also support sustainable practices that value and protect vulnerable wildlife populations and that aid in preserving natural habitats from deforestation through ethical butterfly and insect farming. This means that purchasing insects literally saves the planet!

Below are the names of some of the specimens you may find in your kit!