USDA - Isopod Transport, Release, and Disposal in the United States

Isopod Transport, Release, and Disposal

In the United States, terrestrial isopods are live invertebrates regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Isopods are considered a pest organism by the USDA's agency APHIS (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service).

For Holy-Poly Isopods LLC to ship across state lines, we must receive & retain proper permits, in this case a PPQ 526 permit for each state. These permits are required for the importation, interstate movement and environmental release of most insects and mites that feed upon or infest plants or plant products.

Some states have banned certain non-native species of isopods, and for this reason we cannot ship them to specific areas. We do the best we can to communicate this on our listings under "Restrictions". To fulfill our responsibilities, we have jumped through the hurdles of the USDA permitting process for each state in an effort to provide you the best service possible. We are not responsible for any permits you may need to own, release, or dispose of your isopods (or other organisms). Contact your state or USDA for any questions or concerns.

Part of our permit requirements is to provide the following disclosures for your live organism shipment:

  1. Isopods (and other regulated organisms) shall not be released into the environment (including escape) as they could harm U.S. agriculture and the natural environment.
  2. Without an active PPQ 526 Permit the USDA prohibits you from further distribution of isopods (or other regulated organisms).
  3. Isopods can be humanely terminated by freezing them in an a ziplock bag for 3 days prior to disposing them in the garbage. 
  4. We are required to keep records of all permitted shipments for a period of 3 years after shipping.
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