On this page I briefly explain how to best send living worms and DNA samples through the regular mail.
Sending living worms:
Place the worms into one (or several) 15ml plastic centrifuge tubes, preferably in clean water from the sampling location (no more than about 30 worms per tube). Fill the tube well, so that there is not too much air in the tube (which will otherwise move around and disturb the worms when the package is handled). Place the tubes into a bubble envelope with some scrap paper to make it look more like a normal letter and mail it! If you have to fill out a customs form, just say that it is a water sample.
Sending DNA samples:
Cut a piece from a styrofoam box (or something similar), use a pencil to punch some holes into the styrofoam, label the tube on at least 3 sides (alcohol dissolves most permanent markers!), and place a piece of scotch tape over the labels (to protect them). Then push the tube into the styrofoam, cut two pieces of cardboard and sandwich the piece of styrofoam, place this into a bubble envelope with some scrap paper to make it look more like a normal letter and mail it! This has worked very well so far.
