# Live creatures, insects and invertebrates — Postal shipping restrictions by item category

For Live creatures, insects and invertebrates, carrier is Royal Mail / Parcelforce; restriction type is restricted; scope is Royal Mail only; prohibited by Parcelforce Worldwide; conditions is Live animals and reptiles are prohibited; permitted creatures include bees, caterpillars, cockroaches, crickets, earthworms, leeches, maggots, mealworms, silkworms, spiders and stick insects; items must be marked URGENT - LIVING CREATURES - HANDLE WITH CARE and sent 1st Class minimum, recorded from its source on 2026-08-10.

- **Item category:** Live creatures, insects and invertebrates _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Carrier:** Royal Mail / Parcelforce _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Restriction type:** restricted _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Scope:** Royal Mail only; prohibited by Parcelforce Worldwide _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Conditions:** Live animals and reptiles are prohibited; permitted creatures include bees, caterpillars, cockroaches, crickets, earthworms, leeches, maggots, mealworms, silkworms, spiders and stick insects; items must be marked URGENT - LIVING CREATURES - HANDLE WITH CARE and sent 1st Class minimum. _(verified: appears in the quote below)_

## What the source says

> Live animals and reptiles are prohibited, as are any creatures or insects classified as dangerous within the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 (including certain venomous spiders).

## Source

- https://corporate.postoffice.co.uk/media/w5dlus1c/foia-response_foi2025_00179_appendix-d_rm-dangerous-goods-and-prohibited-and-restricted.pdf

Last verified: 2026-08-10. Review by: 2027-08-10.
Part of [Postal shipping restrictions by item category](https://referencesource.org/shipping-restrictions-by-class/).