Conservation Matters: More on Butterfly Releases
The Lepidopterist Society’s publication, dated Autumn 2010, contains an article about butterfly releases.
“Conservation Matters:
Contributions from the Conservation Committee
More on Butterfly Releases”
By Dave Wagner, Felix Sperling, and Bruce Walsh
The article discusses the challenges of requiring teachers and students to gather wild caterpillars for study instead of purchasing eggs and/or larvae from butterfly farmers/breeders. Included is the statement, “So while we support the position that we limit the number of species that can be released, we do not support a ban on all releases. Much would be lost, for little gain.”
The USDA limits the number of species that can be transported for release within the US. Only 9 species can be transported for release and the USDA only allows certain ones of those nine to be released in each state. The USDA takes into consideration any concerns about whether the species is native in the state and whether there are sub-species differences that can be compromised by allowing importation from another state for release.
Full article here:
