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Insects & Business

If you or your customers have found insect contamination in your latest shipment of goods, then Harwood Biology can address the following questions:

  • What species is it?
  • Where could it have come from?
  • Will it cause damage to my products?
  • Does it pose a threat to the environment?
  • What do I need to do to reduce the chances of it happening again?

Invasive Alien Species are animals and plants that are introduced into a natural environment where they are not normally found, having serious negative ecological consequences. Such introductions represent a major threat to native plants and animals throughout the UK and Europe, and cause damage worth millions of pounds every year.

The EU has produced a new Regulation on invasive alien species (No 1143/2014  on the prevention and management of the introduction and spread of invasive alien species) which entered into force on 1 January 2015. The new regulation seeks to address the problem of invasive alien species so as to protect native biodiversity and ecosystem services, as well as to minimize and mitigate the human health or economic impacts that these species can have.

Harwood Biology provides services which address the interventions promoted by the Regulation; prevention, early warning and rapid response, and management with respect to insects and other invertebrates which have the potential to become invasive species.

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Screening reports

By carrying out a review of the activities of a business, Harwood Biology identifies aspects which could lead to the inadvertent introduction of species to new environments. If risks are identified, protocols are developed to  minimise the likelihood of incidents occurring, complete with appropriate and relevant documentation and monitoring systems.  



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Risk assessment

In cases where unknown speices of insect are recorded in shipments, I can carry out accurate identification of specimens, together with a comprehensive assessment of risks associated with the species concerned. This procedure will determine whether it has the potential to develop the characteristics of an invasive species at its  new location.

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